three o’clock in the
afternoon
Three days passed by . Again the day was quiet and clear , again the high Dragon smiled his malignant , excessively bright smile . He counted , as he rose , his livid seconds , his flaming minutes ; and he let fall upon the earth , with a scarcely perceptible echo , his lead-heavy but transparent hours . It was three o'clock in the afternoon ; they had just finished luncheon . The Rameyevs and the Matovs were at home . Again Elisaveta wrangled with Piotr and , as before , the discussion was long , heated and discordant -- every one left the table flustered and depressed ; the hopeless confusion of it all deeply affected even the usually composed Miss Harrison . The sisters were left by themselves .