noon
And the coloured socks hanging on an iron rod , contributed sombre notes to the livid and vague effacement of the muslin . On the other side , in a narrower show case , were piled up large balls of green wool , white cards of black buttons , boxes of all colours and sizes , hair nets ornamented with steel beads , spread over rounds of bluish paper , fasces of knitting needles , tapestry patterns , bobbins of ribbon , along with a heap of soiled and faded articles , which doubtless had been lying in the same place for five or six years . All the tints had turned dirty grey in this cupboard , rotting with dust and damp . In summer , towards noon , when the sun scorched the squares and streets with its tawny rays , you could distinguish , behind the caps in the other window , the pale , grave profile of a young woman . This profile issued vaguely from the darkness reigning in the shop . To a low parched forehead was attached a long , narrow , pointed nose ; the pale pink lips resembled two thin threads , and the short , nervy chin was attached to the neck by a line that was supple and fat . The body , lost in the shadow , could not be seen .