five o'clock
_ I. -- The Twins _ I was travelling in Corsica early in March 1841 . Corsica is a French department , but it is by no means French , and Italian is the language commonly spoken . It is free from robbers , but it is still the land of the vendetta , and the province of Sartene , wherein I was travelling , is the home of family feuds , which last for years and are always accompanied by loss of life . I was travelling alone across the island , but I had been obliged to take a guide ; and when at five o'clock we halted on a hill overlooking the village of Sullacro , my guide asked me where I would like to stay for the night . There were , perhaps , one hundred and twenty houses in Sullacro for me to choose from , so after looking out carefully for the one that promised the most comfort , I decided in favour of a strong , fortified , squarely-built house . `` Certainly , '' said my guide . `` That is the house of Madame Savilia de Franchi .