the hour of nine
But that evening she did not , as usual , draw up the little table , and open the pages of some well-thumbed , ancient volume , to read , for perhaps the twentieth time , of the valorous deeds of some famed knight of the olden time , or mayhap , of the triumphant death of some famed martyr for religion 's sake . For alas ! the frugal but wholesome meal which had always preceded the reading of those ancient chronicles , was now wanting ; and the little family sat listening to the raging of the pitiless storm without and counting the weary moments as they passed . The bell in a neighboring steeple had just told the hour of nine , when , as the echo of that last stroke died away in the distance , a heavy step was heard ascending the stairs that led to their humble apartment . As the sound approached nearer , Fanny heard a voice occasionally giving utterance to expressions of extreme irritation and impatience , accompanied by certain sounds indicating that the person , whoever it might be , often stumbled upon the dark , narrow and somewhat dilapidated stair-case . `` Blood and bomb-shells ! '' exclaimed a voice -- `` I shall never reach the top , and my shins are broken .