nine o'clock
There was little or no hot-gospel here ; men still shook their heads sympathetically over the old days and the old faith , which indeed had ceased to be the faith of all scarcely twenty years ago ; and it appeared to the most of them that the proper faith of the Quality , since they had before their eyes such families as the Babingtons , the Fentons , and the FitzHerberts , was that to which their own squire was about to say good-bye . It was known , too , publicly by now , that Mr. Robin was gone away for Easter , since he would not follow his father . So the crowd waited ; the dogs sunned themselves ; and the gunner sat on a wall . * * * * * The bells ceased at nine o'clock , and upon the moment , a group came round the churchyard wall , down from the field-path and the stile that led to the manor . First , walking alone , came the squire , swiftly and steadily . His face was flushed a little , but set and determined . He was in his fine clothes , ruff and all ; his rapier was looped at his side , and he carried a stick .