eight o'clock
The girls must respect the teachers , and the younger girls must respect the elder ones . All become elder ones in turn , and are respected . '' `` Well , _ I _ mean to be respected all through , '' Beth declared , and set her mouth hard on the determination . At eight o'clock Miss Bey rang a big handbell for prayers , and the whole household , including the servants , came trooping into the hall . The girls sat together in their classes , and , when all were in their places , Miss Clifford came in attended by her maids-of-honour , mounted the reading-desk , and read the little service in a beautiful voice devoutly . Beth softened as she listened , and joined in with all her heart towards the end . When prayers were over , and the servants had gone downstairs , one of the maids-of-honour set a chair under the domed ceiling in front of the vestibule for Miss Clifford , who went to it from the reading-desk , and sat there .