seven o'clock
`` He died one morning early -- I think I will tell you if you would care to hear , '' and she related to him the manner of Dermod 's death , of which a chill was the occasion rather than the cause ; for he died of a gradual dissolution rather than a definite disease . It was a curious story which Ethne had to tell , for it seemed that just before his death Dermod recaptured something of his old masterful spirit . `` We knew that he was dying , '' Ethne said . `` He knew it too , and at seven o'clock of the afternoon after -- '' she hesitated for a moment and resumed , `` after he had spoken for a little while to me , he called his dog by name . The dog sprang at once on to the bed , though his voice had not risen above a whisper , and crouching quite close , pushed its muzzle with a whine under my father 's hand . Then he told me to leave him and the dog altogether alone . I was to shut the door upon him .