noon
the King said slowly , with a change of countenance and a shudder which he could not repress ; `` and there was milk on the floor in the morning . '' `` Yes , sire ; on the floor , and beside the head of your bed . '' But at this stage I was attacked by a fit of illness so severe that I had to break in on the discussion , and beg the King to withdraw . The sickness increased on me during the day , and by noon I was prostrate , neither taking interest in anything , nor allowing others , who began to fear for my life , to divert their attention . After twenty-four hours I began to mend , but still several days elapsed before I was able to devote myself to business ; and then I found that , the master-mind being absent , and the King , as always , lukewarm in the pursuit , nothing had been done to detect and punish the criminal . I could not rest easy , however , with so abominable a suspicion attaching to my house ; and as soon as I could bend my mind to the matter I began an inquiry . At the first stage , however , I came to an IMPASSE ; the butler , who had been long in my service , cleared himself without difficulty , but a few questions discovered the fact that a person who had been in his department on the evening in question was now to seek , having indeed disappeared from that time .