midday
Latterly , by the exercise of the talent inherited from her father , Paolina had been able to do something , not only towards meeting her own expenses , but towards making some return for all that the good Orsola had done for her out of her own poverty . And now this commission of the Englishman who had sent her to Ravenna would go far towards improving the prospects of both Paolina and her old friend . Old Orsola did not know exactly at what time to expect Paolina back ; but she knew that Paolina 's purpose on that Ash Wednesday morning was merely to walk to the church , and , having seen the preparations that had been made for her work , to return , without on that occasion remaining to begin her task . So that when the hour of the midday meal arrived , and her young friend had not returned , old Orsola began to be a little uneasy about her . Nor was her uneasiness lessened by her entire ignorance as to there being little or much , or no cause at all for it . Never having left Venice before in her life , old Orsola was as much a stranger in Ravenna , and felt herself to be in an unknown world , as completely as an Englishman would in Japan . Since she had been in Ravenna she had frequently heard the Pineta spoken of , and the old church out there in which her young friend was to do a portion of her task .