noon
A few days later he again appeared on the exchange , jested , laughed , made contracts to furnish corn as sharp-sighted as a bird of prey , a rare expert at anything concerning his affairs . But in all the moods of Ignat 's life there was one passionate desire that never left him -- the desire to have a son ; and the older he grew the greater was this desire . Very often such conversation as this took place between him and his wife . In the morning , at her tea , or at noon during dinner hour he gloomily glared at his wife , a stout , well-fed woman , with a red face and sleepy eyes , and asked her : `` Well , do n't you feel anything ? '' She knew what he meant , but she invariably replied : `` How can I help feeling ? Your fists are like dumb-bells . '' `` You know what I 'm talking about , you fool . ''