noon
Then it was not like Orion to require a falsehood of her . In any case it was her duty to her betrothed to preserve from evil , and prevent him from concluding any alliance with that false Siren . She knew what she had to say ; and she was about to loosen a portion of her veil from her face that she might look Paula steadfastly in the eyes , when Orion came back to fetch her into the hall where the Court was sitting . To his delight -- nay almost to his astonishment -- she stated with perfect confidence that a gem had been hanging to Paula 's necklace at noon that day ; and when the onyx was shown her and she was asked if she remembered the stone , she calmly replied : `` It may or it may not be the same ; I only remember the oval gold back to it : besides I was only allowed to have the necklace in my hands for a very short time . '' When Nilus , the treasurer , desired her to look more closely at the figures of Eros and Psyche to refresh her memory , she evaded it by saying : `` I do not like such heathen images : we Jacobite maidens wear different adornments . '' At this Paula rose and stepped towards her with a look of stern reproof ; little Katharina was glad now that it had occurred to her to cover her face with a double veil . But the utter confusion she felt under the Syrian girl 's gaze did not last long .