seven o'clock in the evening
He 's pretending . '' And either because her Giant was very friendly with Count Nulin , or perhaps by chance , she rode all the time beside Nikitin , as she had done the day before , and the day before that . And he looked at her graceful little figure sitting on the proud white beast , at her delicate profile , at the chimney-pot hat , which did not suit her at all and made her look older than her age -- looked at her with joy , with tenderness , with rapture ; listened to her , taking in little of what she said , and thought : `` I promise on my honour , I swear to God , I wo n't be afraid and I 'll speak to her today . '' It was seven o'clock in the evening -- the time when the scent of white acacia and lilac is so strong that the air and the very trees seem heavy with the fragrance . The band was already playing in the town gardens . The horses made a resounding thud on the pavement , on all sides there were sounds of laughter , talk , and the banging of gates . The soldiers they met saluted the officers , the schoolboys bowed to Nikitin , and all the people who were hurrying to the gardens to hear the band were pleased at the sight of the party .