four o'clock
` Doctor Toole , Madam , and he 'll direct whatever may be necessary ; and should he wish to consult again , you can send for me ; but he 's quite competent , Madam , and he 'll tell you all we think . ' He had got to the end of the stairs while talking , and made his adieux , and glided down and out ; and before poor little Mrs. Sturk bethought her how little she had got from him , she heard the roll of his coach wheels whirling him back again to Dublin . I believe few doctors grow so accustomed to the ghastly _ eclaircissement _ as not very willingly to shirk it when they may . Toole shrank from it , too , and dodged , and equivocated , and evaded all he could ; but he did admit there was an unfavourable change ; and when he had gone -- promising to be back at four o'clock -- poor little Mrs. Sturk broke down -- all alone in the drawing-room -- and cried a passionate flood of tears ; and thinking she was too long away , dried her eyes quickly , and ran up , and into Barney 's room with a smile on ; and she battled with the evil fear ; and hope , that faithful angel that clings to the last , hovered near her with blessed illusions , until an hour came , next day , in the evening , about four o'clock , when from Barney 's room there came a long , wild cry . It was ` his poor foolish little Letty ' -- the long farewell -- and the ` noble Barney ' was gone . The courtship and the married days -- all a faded old story now ; and a few days later , reversed arms , and muffled drums , and three volleys in the church-yard , and a little file of wondering children , dressed in black , whom the old general afterwards took up in his arms , one by one , very kindly , and kissed , and told them they were to come and play in Belmont whenever they liked , and to eat fruit in the garden , and a great deal more ; for all which a poor little lady , in a widow 's cap , and a lonely room , hard-by , was very grateful . Little Doctor Toole came out feeling rather queer and stunned from Sturk 's house .