noon
It was late noon ; the cattle had sought the shade from the slanting sun , and , far beyond , the holy castle of Marksburg raised its battlements above mountains covered with the vine . On the water two boats had been drawn alongside each other ; and from one , now moving to the land , the splash of oars broke the general stillness of the tide . Fast by an old tower the fishermen were busied in their craft , but the sound of their voices did not reach the ear . It was life , but a silent life , suited to the tranquillity of noon . `` There is something in travel , '' said Gertrude , `` which constantly , even amidst the most retired spots , impresses us with the exuberance of life . We come to those quiet nooks and find a race whose existence we never dreamed of . In their humble path they know the same passions and tread the same career as ourselves .