noon
At least it made no sensible impression on him . His mental retina was capable of receiving only two pictures : the concentrated accumulation of past sin -- the terrible anticipation of future retribution . Between these two , present danger and suffering were well-nigh forgotten . Towards noon , however , the sense of hunger began to oppress him . He allayed it with a few wild berries . Then fatigue began to tell , for walking from root to root sometimes on short stretches of solid land , sometimes over soft mud , often knee-deep in water , was very exhausting . At last he came to what appeared to be the end of the swamp , and here he discovered a small patch of cultivated ground .