eight
o'clock at night
He occupied the best `` habitacion '' in the Claverias . At the great ceremonies he walked in front of the Chapter in his pluvial , carrying a silver stick nearly as tall as himself , making the tiles of the pavement re-echo with its blows . During High Mass and the choir in the evening he walked about the naves to check any irreverence on the part of the congregation or any inattention on that of the staff . At eight o'clock at night in the winter , and at nine in summer , he locked the door of the staircase leading to the upper cloister , putting the key in his pocket , and so all the people in the cloister remained quite isolated from the town . If now and again anyone was taken ill in the night , it was necessary to wake Don Antolin who , plunging his hand into the depths of his cassock , would produce his key , and deign to restore communication with the outer world . He was about seventy years of age , small and wizened ; age had scarcely tinged his shaven crown with grey , his forehead was broad and square , and rose straight beneath the silk cap he wore in winter . His features were rather drawn out , without a single wrinkle , and devoid of any expression that showed emotion , the jaw-bone narrow and sharp , and the eyes as inexpressive and motionless as the rest of the face , but with a cold , penetrating glance that was extremely disconcerting .