one o’clock in
the afternoon
But instead of that Death stationed itself in the corner and would not go away . It would not go away because it was my thought . It is not death that is terrible , but the knowledge of it : it would be utterly impossible to live if a man could know exactly and definitely the day and hour of his death . And the fools cautioned me : ` At one o'clock in the afternoon , your Excellency ! ''' He began to feel light-hearted and cheerful , as if some one had told him that he was immortal , that he would never die . And , feeling himself again strong and wise amidst the herd of fools who had so stupidly and impudently broken into the mystery of the future , he began to think of the bliss of ignorance , and his thoughts were the painful thoughts of an old , sick man who had gone through endless experience . It was not given to any living being -- man or beast -- to know the day and hour of death .