two o'clock
Such were the pleasant little amenities with which the people of Barchester greeted the two candidates who were desirous of the honour of serving them in Parliament . The polling went on briskly and merrily . There were somewhat above nine hundred registered voters , of whom the greater portion recorded their votes early in the day . At two o'clock , according to Sir Roger 's committee , the numbers were as follows : -- Scatcherd 275 Moffat 268 Whereas , by the light afforded by Mr Moffat 's people , they stood in a slightly different ratio to each other , being written thus : -- Moffat 277 Scatcherd 269 This naturally heightened the excitement , and gave additional delight to the proceedings . At half-past two it was agreed by both sides that Mr Moffat was ahead ; the Moffatites claiming a majority of twelve , and the Scatcherdites allowing a majority of one . But by three o'clock sundry good men and true , belonging to the railway interest , had made their way to the booth in spite of the efforts of a band of roughs from Courcy , and Sir Roger was again leading , by ten or a dozen , according to his own showing . One little transaction which took place in the earlier part of the day deserves to be recorded .