nine o'clock
Possibly a few innocents would have to suffer , a few old hearts be broken ; but it was for a man to take such things in his day 's work . And then as he remembered Dr. Layton 's tales , his heart grew hot and hard again . The enquiry was to be made in the guest-parlour on the next morning . * * * * * Ralph went to mass first at nine o'clock , which was said by a priest from the parish church who acted as chaplain to the convent ; and had a chair set for him outside the nuns ' choir from which he could see the altar and the tall pointed window ; and then , after some refreshment in the guest-parlour , spread out his papers , and sat enthroned behind a couple of tables , as at a tribunal . Mr. Morris stood deferentially by his chair as the examination was conducted . Ralph was a little taken aback by the bearing of the Abbess . In the course of the enquiry , when he was perplexed by one or two of the records , she rose from her chair before the table , and came round to his side , drawing up a seat as she did so ; Ralph could hardly tell her to go back , but his magisterial air was a little affected by having one whom he almost considered as a culprit sitting judicially beside him .