the hour of
eight
Be merciful ! Let him go . And if there is anything -- any recompense -- '' But even as it was spoken , the appeal died . Somewhere in the heart of the House a solemn clock chimed the hour of eight ; and as though the sound were a signal , the curtain of the chapel door was drawn softly back , and a stream of dark-robed figures poured over the empty floor . For a moment she stood immovable before the imminence of the crucial scene ; then , with a sensation of physical weakness and helplessness , she turned , moved blindly forward , and sank into a vacant seat . At the same moment Bale-Corphew left her without a word , and passed rapidly down the aisle . Great fear frequently exercises a paralyzing effect upon the body .