three
o'clock
Not a single point had been made in his favour , and every point had been made to tell against him . The judge had almost said that a man 's promise to marry a woman should be taken as evidence of marriage . But the jury , at any rate , did not show immediate alacrity in obeying the judge 's behest . They returned once or twice to ask questions ; and at three o'clock Caldigate was allowed to go to his inn , with an intimation that he must hold himself in readiness to be brought back and hear the verdict at a moment 's notice . ` I wish they would declare it at once , ' he said to his father . ` The suspense is worse than all . ' During the afternoon the matter was discussed very freely throughout the borough .