midday
Day after day the sun glared down from a cloudless sky , and all Castile was burnt brown as a desert . In the streets of Madrid there arose a hot dust and the subtle odour of warm earth that rarely meets the nostrils in England . It savoured of India and other sun-steeped lands where water is too precious to throw upon the roads . Those who could , remained indoors or in their shady patios until the heat of the day was past ; and such as worked in the open lay unchallenged in the shade from midday till three o'clock . During those days military operations were almost suspended , although the heads of departments were busy enough in their offices . The confusion of war , it seemed , was past , and the sore-needed peace was immediately turned to good account . The army of the Queen Regent was indeed in an almost wrecked condition , and among the field officers jealousy and backbiting , which had smouldered through the war-time , broke out openly .