nine o'clock
But nothing had any effect ; and she implored , with tears , that she might be left in peace , inasmuch as the form which , in its vague , uncertain traits , had nothing terrible or alarming about it , no longer caused her any fear ; although , for a time after seeing it she felt as if her inner being and all her thoughts and ideas were turned out from her , and were hovering , bodiless , about , outside of her . At last the colonel made the acquaintance of a celebrated doctor , who had the reputation of being specially clever in the treatment of the mentally afflicted . When this doctor heard Adelgunda 's story he laughed aloud , and said nothing could be easier than to cure a condition of the kind , which resulted solely from an over-excited imagination . The idea of the appearing of the spectre was so intimately associated with the striking of nine o'clock , that the mind could not dissociate them . So that all that was necessary was to effect this separation by external means ; as to which there was no difficulty , as it was only necessary to deceive the patient as to the time , and let nine o'clock pass without her being aware of it . If the apparition did not then appear , she would be convinced , herself , that it was an illusion ; and measures to give tone to the general system would be all that would then be necessary to complete the cure . This unfortunate advice was taken .