nine o'clock
What does the idiot mean ? He -- '' It was impossible for her to find a word to do justice to him and to her exasperation at the same time . `` Pardon , madame ; it is not I . It is the cathedral bell ; it is ringing nine o'clock . '' `` But -- '' `` Madame can hear it herself . Listen ! '' We could not see it , but we were conscious of the benign , toothless smile spreading over his face as the bell-tones fell in the room .