eight
o'clock
Music , dancing -LRB- even by the girls alone -RRB- , noisy games of all kinds , and laughter , the Countess strictly forbade . The practical result was that the young ladies fell back upon gossip and ghost-stories , until there were few nights in the year when Roisia would have dared to go to bed by herself for a king 's ransom . An hour before bed-time wine and cakes were served . After this Mistress Underdone recited the Rosary , the girls making the responses , and at eight o'clock -- a late hour at that time -- they trooped off to bed . All were expected to be in bed and all lights out by half-past eight . The unlucky maiden who loitered or was accidentally hindered had to finish her undressing in the dark . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Note 1 .