nine o'clock
`` If one does have a drink in this vale of tears it does no harm . And if Mamma were to pour a little pepper cordial in her ear it would do her a lot of good . '' Between two and three he was going to the slaughter-house for the meat . I knew I should not sleep till morning now , and to get through the time till nine o'clock I went with him . We walked with a lantern , while his boy Nikolka , aged thirteen , with blue patches on his cheeks from frostbites , a regular young brigand to judge by his expression , drove after us in the sledge , urging on the horse in a husky voice . `` I suppose they will punish you at the Governor 's , '' Prokofy said to me on the way . `` There are rules of the trade for governors , and rules for the higher clergy , and rules for the officers , and rules for the doctors , and every class has its rules .