about six
o’clock in the evening
Five golden guineas , -- five , did you say , sir , five ? '' `` Ah ! and perhaps our bounty may not stop there , '' said the curate . Still the old woman hesitated , and still she muttered to herself ; but after some further prelude , and some further enticement from the curate , the which we spare our reader , she came at length to the following narration : -- `` It was on the 7th of February , in the year ` 44 , -- yes , ` 44 , about six o'clock in the evening , for I was a-washing in the kitchen , -- when Mr. Aram called to me an ' desired of me to make a fire upstairs , which I did ; he then walked out . Some hours afterwards , it might be two in the morning , I was lying awake , for I was mighty bad with the toothache , when I heard a noise below , and two or three voices . On this I was greatly afeard , and got out o ' bed , and opening the door , I saw Mr. Houseman and Mr. Clarke coming upstairs to Mr. Aram 's room , and Mr. Aram followed them . They shut the door , and stayed there , it might be an hour .