one o’clock in the afternoon
Here had he been ill not long ago and the physicians told him that he must expect the end , that he should make his final arrangements -- but he had not believed them and he remained alive . In his youth he had become entangled in an affair and had resolved to end his life ; he had even loaded the revolver , had written his letters , and had fixed upon the hour for suicide -- but before the very end he had suddenly changed his mind . It would always be thus -- at the very last moment something would change , an unexpected accident would befall -- no one could tell when he would die . `` At one o'clock in the afternoon , your Excellency ! '' those kind asses had said to him , and although they had told him of it only that death might be averted , the mere knowledge of its possibility at a certain hour again filled him with horror . It was probable that some day he should be assassinated , but it would not happen to-morrow -- it would not happen to-morrow -- and he could sleep undisturbed , as if he were really immortal . Fools -- they did not know what a great law they had dislodged , what an abyss they had opened , when they said in their idiotic kindness : `` At one o'clock in the afternoon , your Excellency ! ''