midday
Really it seemed that they had forgotten his presence , or they might have banished him before . It was the Colonel who suddenly appeared to remember that he was still standing over there by the window . He waited in a large empty room , and the time passed slowly . It was the luncheon hour , and far and near he heard the footsteps of clerks going to and coming from the midday meal . Bigwigs no doubt would take their luncheon privately , in small groups , here and there , all over the building . He too was getting very hungry . An hour passed , an hour and a half , two hours ; and then he was again summoned to the other room .