morning, noon
Opposite to him sits his lady -- a personage whom I might describe minutely , but I feel no vocation to the task . I see her , though , very plainly before me -- a large woman of the gravest aspect , care on her front and on her shoulders , but not overwhelming , inevitable care , rather the sort of voluntary , exemplary cloud and burden people ever carry who deem it their duty to be gloomy . Ah , well-a-day ! Mrs. Yorke had that notion , and grave as Saturn she was , morning , noon , and , night ; and hard things she thought if any unhappy wight -- especially of the female sex -- who dared in her presence to show the light of a gay heart on a sunny countenance . In her estimation , to be mirthful was to be profane , to be cheerful was to be frivolous . She drew no distinctions . Yet she was a very good wife , a very careful mother , looked after her children unceasingly , was sincerely attached to her husband ; only the worst of it was , if she could have had her will , she would not have permitted him to have any friend in the world beside herself .