noon
And even in his dreams he was restless still , so that when he awoke in the morning he said to himself that he had been foolish in his behaviour towards Maria Addolorata on the previous day . He felt tired , too , and his colour was less brilliant than usual . It was Sunday , and he remembered that if he chose he could go in the afternoon to the Benediction in the convent church and hear Maria 's voice perhaps . But at the usual hour , just before noon , he went to make his visit to the abbess . It was his intention to forget his stiff manner , and to behave as he had always behaved until yesterday . Strange to say , however , he felt a constraint coming upon him as soon as he was in the nun 's presence . She received him as usual , there was the usual comic scene at the abbess 's door , and , as every day , the two were alone together after her door was shut .