eleven o'clock
Who had or had not the right of entry into it , might be difficult to say ; but the people of Barchester believed that it belonged to the dean , and the clergymen of Barchester believed that it belonged to the chapter . On the morning in question most of the resident clergymen who constituted the chapter , and some few others , were here assembled , and among them as usual the archdeacon towered with high authority . He had heard of the dean 's fit before he was over the bridge which led into the town , and had at once come to the well known clerical trysting place . He had been there by eleven o'clock , and had remained ever since . From time to time the medical men who had been called in came through from the deanery into the library , uttered little bulletins , and then returned . There was it appears very little hope of the old man 's rallying , indeed no hope of any thing like a final recovery . The only question was whether he must die at once speechless , unconscious , stricken to death by his first heavy fit ; or whether by due aid of medical skill he might not be so far brought back to this world as to become conscious of his state , and enabled to address one prayer to his Maker before he was called to meet Him face to face at the judgement seat .