about nine o'clock
in the morning
Then he turned to the few servants of the palace and said , `` Go now , bury this accursed woman , for she is a king 's daughter . '' Then to us all , `` Now knights , to horse and away , that we may reach the good town by about dawn . '' So we mounted and rode off . What a strange Christmas-day that was , for there , about nine o'clock in the morning , rode Red Harald into the good town to demand vengeance ; he went at once to the king , and the king promised that before nightfall that very day the matter should be judged ; albeit the king feared somewhat , because every third man you met in the streets had a blue cross on his shoulder , and some likeness of a lily , cut out or painted , stuck in his hat ; and this blue cross and lily were the bearings of our house , called `` De Liliis . '' Now we had seen Red Harald pass through the streets , with a white banner borne before him , to show that he came peaceably as for this time ; but I know he was thinking of other things than peace . And he was called Red Harald first at this time , because over all his arms he wore a great scarlet cloth , that fell in heavy folds about his horse and all about him . Then , as he passed our house , some one pointed it out to him , rising there with its carving and its barred marble , but stronger than many a castle on the hill-tops , and its great overhanging battlement cast a mighty shadow down the wall and across the street ; and above all rose the great tower , or banner floating proudly from the top , whereon was emblazoned on a white ground a blue cross , and on a blue ground four white lilies .