noon
You perforce fell behind in the race , remained ignorant of what was being said and done -- in science , letters , religious controversy -- in the great world overseas . To this day he did n't know whether Agassiz had or had not been appointed to the chair of Natural History in Edinburgh ; or whether fresh heresies with regard to the creation of species had spoiled his chances ; did not know whether Hugh Miller had actually gone crazy over the VESTIGES ; or even if those arch-combatants , Syme and Simpson , had at length sheathed their swords . Now , however , God willing , he would before very long be back in the thick of it all , in intimate touch with the doings of the most wide-awake city in Europe ; and new books and pamphlets would come into his possession as they dropped hot from the press . And then one morning -- it was spring now , and piping hot at noon -- Long Jim brought home from the post-office a letter for Polly , addressed in her sister Sarah 's sloping hand . Knowing the pleasure it would give her , Mahony carried it at once to his wife ; and Polly laid aside broom and duster and sat down to read . But he was hardly out of the room when a startled cry drew him back to her side . Polly had hidden her face , and was shaken by sobs As he could not get her to speak , Mahony picked up the letter from the floor and read it for himself .