two o'clock
In the lonely room of his aunt 's house , Jude sat watching the cottage of the Widow Edlin as it disappeared behind the night shade . He knew that Sue was sitting within its walls equally lonely and disheartened ; and again questioned his devotional motto that all was for the best . He retired to rest early , but his sleep was fitful from the sense that Sue was so near at hand . At some time near two o'clock , when he was beginning to sleep more soundly , he was aroused by a shrill squeak that had been familiar enough to him when he lived regularly at Marygreen . It was the cry of a rabbit caught in a gin . As was the little creature 's habit , it did not soon repeat its cry ; and probably would not do so more than once or twice ; but would remain bearing its torture till the morrow when the trapper would come and knock it on the head . He who in his childhood had saved the lives of the earthworms now began to picture the agonies of the rabbit from its lacerated leg .