one o'clock
To kneel on the floor , pick off small sprays from the bunches of lilac , and hand them up to Miss Ellen as she wove them into garland and sceptre . While she did it her heart was hot within her , and she felt that she hated her cousin . The work went on quickly but very silently inside the schoolroom . There was no time to talk , for the masses of flowers which covered table , benches , and floor had all to be changed into wreaths and garlands before one o'clock , for the Queen and her court . Outside it was not so quiet . An eager group had gathered there long ago , composed of the drum-and-fife band , which broke out now and then into fragments of tunes , the boy with the maypole on his shoulder , and bearers of sundry bright flags and banners . To these the time seemed endless , and they did their best to shorten it by jokes and laughter ; it was only the close neighbourhood of the schoolmaster which prevented the boldest from climbing up to the high window and hanging on by his hands to see how matters were going on within .