eight
o'clock
` On the 10th , both father and son remained in their rooms all day , except when the latter came down to meals ; at which times he would lock his door behind him , and with his own hands take in the earl 's food , giving as his reason that his father was writing a very important document , and did not wish to be disturbed by the presence of a servant . During the forenoon , Hester Dyett , hearing loud noises in Randolph 's room , as if furniture was being removed from place to place , found some pretext for knocking at his door , when he ordered her on no account to interrupt him again , as he was busy packing his clothes in view of a journey to London on the next day . The subsequent conduct of the woman shows that her curiosity must have been excited to the utmost by the undoubtedly strange spectacle of Randolph packing his own clothes . During the afternoon a lad from the village was instructed to collect his companions for a science lecture the same evening at eight o'clock . And so the eventful day wore on . ` We arrive now at this hour of eight P.M. on this 10th day of January . The night is dark and windy ; some snow has been falling , but has now ceased .