five o'clock
Nevertheless , he instinctively felt as he turned it over in his hands before breaking the seal , that , in some manner or other , it was intimately concerned with his fate . The preparations for the _ fandango _ were complete . The men and women of the household , under Juan Ramon 's supervision , had worked hard since sunrise , stringing gayly colored lanterns and arranging tables and chairs , palms and potted flowers and shrubs in the _ patio _ . It was close on to five o'clock and they now rested in the _ patio _ in the shade of its arcades , smoking cigarettes and sipping black coffee , and chatting and laughing as they viewed with satisfaction the results of their handiwork . The day gave promise of a perfect night . It was to be a typical Spanish _ fiesta _ , and in order that the illusion might be complete , both the Whites and the Indians were to appear in their national costumes . All the leading Spanish families of the town and the neighborhood would be present .