nine o’clock
The sun disappeared , and it began to rain again . Master and disciple descended to the church together , and there , kneeling side by side , they lingered in prayer . That was their only farewell . At nine o'clock Benedetto took the road to the Sacro Speco . He left the monastery unobserved , while Fra Antonio was confabulating with Giovanni Selva 's messenger . At that moment the rays of the returning sun suddenly lit up the old walls , the road , the hill itself ; shrill cries of gladness , swift wings of tiny birds broke through the green on all sides , and to his lips the words rose spontaneously : `` I am coming ! '' Jeanne and Noemi reached the monastery at ten o'clock .