six o'clock
But the bend in the path disclosed a stile a little further on , from which surely a view of all the ground between the path she was on and the farmhouse at which Ludovico and his companion had descended , might be had . She would go so far and no further . And thus , poor child , she went on and on , long and long after the monk had lost sight of her , and with a deep sigh , had turned to go back again into the church . It had been six o'clock when Paolina started on her walk to the church , and nothing had been settled with any accuracy between her and the old friend and protectress , with whom she had come to Ravenna , and lived during her stay there , as to the exact time at which she might be expected to return . The name of the protectress in question was Signora Orsola Steno , an old friend of her mother 's , who , when Paolina Foscarelli had been left an orphan , had , for pure charity and friendship 's sake , taken the child , and brought her up . Latterly , by the exercise of the talent inherited from her father , Paolina had been able to do something , not only towards meeting her own expenses , but towards making some return for all that the good Orsola had done for her out of her own poverty . And now this commission of the Englishman who had sent her to Ravenna would go far towards improving the prospects of both Paolina and her old friend .