midday
`` I was afraid it was my husband , still reading Greek , '' she said . `` All this time he 's been editing _ Pindar _ . '' They passed through the town and turned up the steep road , which was perfectly clear , though still unbordered by shadows . Partly because they were tired , and partly because the early light subdued them , they scarcely spoke , but breathed in the delicious fresh air , which seemed to belong to a different state of life from the air at midday . When they came to the high yellow wall , where the lane turned off from the road , Helen was for dismissing the two young men . `` You 've come far enough , '' she said . `` Go back to bed . ''