nine o’clock
Once every month she burned four candles before the shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows in the cathedral , because of four sons she had given to her country . On the evening of the day Hedwig had made her futile appeal to the King , the Chancellor sat alone . His dinner , almost untasted , lay at his elbow . It was nine o'clock . At something after seven he had paid his evening visit to the King , and had found him uneasy and restless . `` Sit down ; '' the King had said . `` I need steadying , old friend . ''