four o’clock
One day in December the squire had gone out with the hounds . Clem , going on from bad to worse , had now reached the point of planning to be at the Hall when the squire was not at home . On that particular afternoon Clem was there . It was about half-past four o'clock , and the master was not expected till six . There had been some music , the lady accompanying , and Clem singing . It was over , and Clem , sitting down beside her at the piano , and pointing out with his right hand some passage which had troubled him , had placed his left arm on her shoulder , and round her neck , she not resisting . He always swore afterwards that never till then had such a familiarity as this been permitted , and I believe that he did not tell a lie .