noon
He clutched it , and crushed its fragile beauty into atoms ; and blood dripped with the wine upon the floor . A torch gleamed outside the door , and hasty feet came running . Claudius , the physician , entered , very old , very small , with silver hair and beard that was like a snow-drift , followed by two slaves with lights and instruments . They lighted all the lamps , so that the room was bright as noon ; and Claudius took from them what he wanted , and sent them both away . Then he rolled his sleeves above his elbows , and went to the couch where the silent figure lay twisting ; and as he went he tucked his long white beard inside the collar of his gown . But the plans of Marius did not fall out as he had intended . It was a month before he returned to the villa , with the prospect of remaining on British soil until another galley could be fitted out and commissioned .