midday
A sudden clamour of the street-door bell sent me skipping back to the fire-place with my heart in my mouth . Interminable minutes followed , and at length Mrs. McRankine entered with my ball suit from the tailor 's . I carried it into the next room , and disposed it on the bed -- olive-green coat with gilt buttons and facings of watered silk , olive-green pantaloons , white waistcoat sprigged with blue and green forget-me-nots . The survey carried me on to midday and the midday meal . The ministry of meal-time is twice blest : for prisoners and men without appetite it punctuates and makes time of eternity . I dawdled over my chop and pint of brown stout until Mrs. McRankine , after twice entering to clear away , with the face of a Cumæan sibyl , so far relaxed the tension of unnatural calm as to inquire if I meant to be all night about it . The afternoon wore into dusk ; and with dusk she re-appeared with a tea-tray .