the hour of ten
The secondary particulars of his present position , too , were odd enough , though for some time they appeared to engage little of his attention . Not a soul in the town knew , as yet , of his wife 's death ; and he almost owed Downe the kindness of not publishing it till the day was over : the conjuncture , taken with that which had accompanied the death of Mrs. Downe , being so singular as to be quite sufficient to darken the pleasure of the impressionable solicitor to a cruel extent , if made known to him . But as Barnet could not set out on his journey to London , where his wife lay , for some hours -LRB- there being at this date no railway within a distance of many miles -RRB- , no great reason existed why he should leave the town . Impulse in all its forms characterized Barnet , and when he heard the distant clock strike the hour of ten his feet began to carry him up the harbour-road with the manner of a man who must do something to bring himself to life . He passed Lucy Savile 's old house , his own new one , and came in view of the church . Now he gave a perceptible start , and his mechanical condition went away . Before the church-gate were a couple of carriages , and Barnet then could perceive that the marriage between Downe and Lucy was at that moment being solemnized within .