noon
The foe , I tell thee , is a seasoned warrior , a drinker of blood from his birth . '' From all that Asad had let fall , two facts shone forth : that the Emîr was mad in love with the Sitt Hilda , and that he was oppressed by his cruel uncle . Iskender mused on these , seeing a chance to help him and obtain forgiveness . Between the fourth and fifth hour after noon of that same day Iskender once more approached the house of the missionaries , this time with extreme precaution , keeping as far as might be hidden in the folds of the land , and , when obliged of necessity to cross a space of ground exposed to view , crawling on his belly , with his tarbûsh , which , being scarlet , was conspicuous , doffed and rolled up tightly in one hand . It was important for the enterprise he had in view that no one of the house should see him coming . Having reached the garden boundary undiscovered , he stole round it , crouching , with his ear to the wall . Soon he caught the sound of voices , and , guided by them , reached a point quite near the speakers whence he could hear every word they were saying .