one o’clock
` If that is always the effect of your principle , I shall think better of it , ' said Claude . Lily , whether from her new principle , or her old habits of obedience , never ventured to touch one of her tempters till after five o'clock , but , as she was a very rapid reader , she generally contrived to devour more than a sufficient quantity every evening , so that she did not enjoy them as much as she would , had she been less voracious in her appetite , and they made her complain grievously of the dulness of the latter part of Russell 's _ Modern Europe _ , which was being read in the schoolroom , and yawn nearly as much as Phyllis over the ` Pragmatic Sanction . ' However , when that book was concluded , and they began Palgrave 's _ Anglo Saxons _ , Lily was seized within a sudden historical fever . She could hardly wait till one o'clock , before she settled herself at the schoolroom table with her work , and summoned every one , however occupied , to listen to the reading . ` Multiplication Is a vexation . ' IT was a bright and beautiful afternoon in March , the song of the blackbird and thrush , and the loud chirp of the titmouse , came merrily through the schoolroom window , mixed with the sounds of happy voices in the garden ; the western sun shone brightly in , and tinged the white wainscoted wall with yellow light ; the cat sat in the window-seat , winking at the sun , and sleepily whisking her tail for the amusement of her kitten , which was darting to and fro , and patting her on the head , in the hope of rousing her to some more active sport . But in the midst of all these joyous sights and sounds , was heard a dolorous voice repeating , ` three and four are -- three and four are -- oh dear !