about
noon
She took the bank-note with many expressions of thankfulness ; and but for her tears , which flowed plentifully , she might have noticed that there was something deadly in the eye of her kind and tranquil master . On her retiring , he rose , and walked to and fro for a long time , with folded arms , wrapped in profound meditation -- from which he was occasionally unpleasantly startled by hearing knocks at his door , and then his laundress assuring the visitor that Mr. Gammon was out of town , but would return on the morrow . It was a cheerless November day , the snow fluttering lazily through the foggy air ; but his room was made snug and cheerful enough , by the large fire which he kept up . Opening his desk , he sat down , about noon , and wrote a very long letter -- in the course of which , however , he repeatedly laid down his pen -- got up and walked about , heaving deep sighs , and being occasionally exceedingly agitated . At length he concluded it , paused some time , and then folded it up , and sealed it . Then he spent at least two hours in examining all the papers in his desk and cabinet . A considerable number of them he burned , and replaced and arranged the remainder carefully .