three o’clock
But it seemed as though God had in this case let the minority get the upper hand for a time . Visitors from outside , particularly of the educated class , soon went into the cell , too , with the same spying intent . Of the peasantry few went into the cell , though there were crowds of them at the gates of the hermitage . After three o'clock the rush of worldly visitors was greatly increased and this was no doubt owing to the shocking news . People were attracted who would not otherwise have come on that day and had not intended to come , and among them were some personages of high standing . But external decorum was still preserved and Father Païssy , with a stern face , continued firmly and distinctly reading aloud the Gospel , apparently not noticing what was taking place around him , though he had , in fact , observed something unusual long before . But at last the murmurs , first subdued but gradually louder and more confident , reached even him .