noon
She was walking again on and on over the hot bricks , and the deep wounds were opening before her eyes while the surgeons went by with dripping hands . Once she started up and cried out that the terrible blue sky was crushing her down to the pavement which burned her feet . Then the odour of the magnolia filled her nostrils , and she talked of the scorching dust , of the noise that would not stop , and of the feeble breeze that blew toward her from the river . All night she wandered back and forth in the broad glare of the noon , and all night Mammy Riah passed from the clinging hands to the window where she looked for help in the empty street . And then , as the gray dawn broke , Virginia put her simple services by , and spoke in a clear voice . `` Oh , how lovely , '' she said , as if well pleased . A moment more and she lay smiling like a child , her chin pressed deep in her open palm .