twelve o'clock
He hurried through the antechamber and the long corridor , and when he had gained the solitude of his own gloomy apartments , and not until then , rang forth from his breast the long restrained scream of agony , streamed from his eyes the long-restrained tears . He sank down upon the old creaking armchair and wept bitterly . `` Well , Master Gabriel Nietzel , here you are , '' said Count Schwarzenberg , greeting the painter , who had just entered , with a gracious nod . `` And it must be granted that you are a very punctual man , for I agreed to meet you here at Spandow by twelve o'clock , and only hear , the clock is just now striking the hour . '' `` Most gracious sir , that comes from my already having stood an hour before the gates of your palace , waiting for the blessed moment to arrive when I might enter . I have been gazing this whole hour up at the dialplate of the steeple clock , and it seemed to me as if an eternity of torture would elapse while the great hour hand slowly , oh , so slowly , made its circuit of sixty minutes . '' `` You are a queer creature ! ''