seven o'clock
He nodded familiarly to the elector ; this was a certain vote for the conservatives . But the turnpike-keeper did not respond to the greeting . He stood stiffly by the table looking at the box that contained the voting-papers ; suddenly his erect figure seemed to collapse , and the old man slunk out of the polling-station almost like an evil-doer . The results of the election were known in the village by seven o'clock . One hundred and fifty-three votes had been registered : seventy-seven for the social-democrats , seventy-six for the conservatives . It was the first time there had been a socialist majority in this place . The social-democrats had , therefore , every reason for rejoicing .