nearly twelve o'clock before
He held her pressed tightly to his breast until he was ordered to make ready to start for the prison with the other victims . They were to remain there until the hour of execution . While these events were taking place in the Tribunal , Antoinette de Mirandol awoke later than usual to find her friend absent ; but the discovery caused her little surprise , for this was not the first time that Dolores , who was a much earlier riser than herself , had left the cell without disturbing her slumbers . Antoinette dressed herself with all possible speed , but it was nearly twelve o'clock before she was ready to go down to the main hall in search of Dolores . She did not see her in the hall or in the corridors , and she entered the refectory certain that her friend was already seated at the table where they had taken their meals since the increasing coldness of the weather had driven them from their cell in the daytime . She cast a quick glance through the dining-hall . The prisoners were chatting gayly over their meagre fare , as if wishing to console themselves for the plainness of their food by the cheerfulness and brilliancy of their conversation .