noon
But after the best of our men went to the wars , and were slain at Naseby fight , they who were left found the Lodge more lonesome , and the old knight has been much deserted of his servants : -- marry , it might be , that he has lacked silver of late to pay groom and lackey . '' `` A potential reason for the diminution of a household , '' said the soldier . `` Right , sir , even so , '' replied the keeper . `` They spoke of steps in the great gallery , heard by dead of the night , and voices that whispered at noon , in the matted chambers ; and the servants pretended that these things scared them away ; but , in my poor judgment , when Martinmas and Whitsuntide came round without a penny-fee , the old blue-bottles of serving-men began to think of creeping elsewhere before the frost chilled them . -- No devil so frightful as that which dances in the pocket where there is no cross to keep him out . '' `` You were reduced , then , to a petty household ? '' said the Independent .