noon
Silvia was young , and had all her life looked forward to this journey . She could not be quite indifferent . She looked and listened , though all the time her heart was heavy for Claudio . They reached the gate of St. John Lateran just as all the bells began to ring for the noon _ Angelus _ , and in fifteen minutes were at the Signora Fantini 's door and Silvia in the kind lady 's arms . It seemed to the girl that she had found her mother again . That this lady was more gracious , graceful , kind and beautiful than her mother had ever been she would not think . She was simply another mother .