noon
One of her reasons for mentioning twelve o'clock had been that she knew Basil Ransom was to call at Tenth Street at eleven , and -LRB- as she supposed he did n't intend to stay all day -RRB- this would give her time to see him come and go . It had been tacitly agreed between them , the night before , that Verena was quite firm enough in her faith to submit to his visit , and that such a course would be much more dignified than dodging it . This understanding passed from one to the other during that dumb embrace which I have described as taking place before they separated for the night . Shortly before noon , Olive , passing out of the house , looked into the big , sunny double parlour , where , in the morning , with all the husbands absent for the day and all the wives and spinsters launched upon the town , a young man desiring to hold a debate with a young lady might enjoy every advantage in the way of a clear field . Basil Ransom was still there ; he and Verena , with the place to themselves , were standing in the recess of a window , their backs presented to the door . If he had got up , perhaps he was going , and Olive , softly closing the door again , waited a little in the hall , ready to pass into the back part of the house if she should hear him coming out . No sound , however , reached her ear ; apparently he did mean to stay all day , and she should find him there on her return .