twelve o'clock
Another thing which he greatly admired about the grand man was his extensive travels . He had lived in distant Madrid -- the scene of almost all the novels read by Ulysses -- and once upon a time he had crossed the frontier , going courageously into a remote country called the south of France , in order to visit another poet whom he was accustomed to call `` My friend , Mistral . '' And the lad 's imagination , hasty and illogical in its decisions , used to envelop his godfather in a halo of historic interest , similar to that of the conquerors . At the stroke of the twelve o'clock chimes Labarta , who never permitted any informality in table matters , would become very impatient , cutting short the account of his journeys and triumphs . `` Doña Pepa ! ... We have a guest here . '' Doña Pepa was the housekeeper , the great man 's companion who for the past fifteen years had been chained to the chariot of his glory .