five o'clock
He came to their door to conduct them down to supper , giving his arm to Miss Woodford as the greatest stranger , while Miss Darpent was conducted by a resplendent ducal colonel . The supper-room was in festal guise , hung round with flags , and the table adorned with flowers ; a band was playing , and never had either Anne or Naomi been made so much of . All were eagerly talking , Charles especially so , and Anne thought , with a thrill , `` Did he recollect that this was the very anniversary of that terrible 1st of July ? '' It was a beautiful summer evening , and the supper taking place at five o'clock there was a considerable time to spare afterwards , so that M. de Nidemerle proposed to show the strangers the place , and the view from the ramparts . `` In my company you can see all well , '' he said , `` but otherwise there might be doubts and jealousies . '' He took them through the narrow Flemish streets of tall houses with projecting upper stories , and showed them that seminary which was popularly supposed in England to be the hotbed of truculent plots , but where they only saw a quiet academic cloister and an exquisite garden , green turf , roses and white lilies in full perfection , and students flitting about in cassocks and square caps , more like an Oxford scene , as Mr. Fellowes said , than anything he had yet seen . He was joined by an English priest from his own original neighbourhood .