twelve o’clock
Those loaves , those doves , and those two boys were not earthly creatures . It all happened at the same time : a boy ran towards a dove and glanced smiling at Levin ; the dove , with a whir of her wings , darted away , flashing in the sun , amid grains of snow that quivered in the air , while from a little window there came a smell of fresh-baked bread , and the loaves were put out . All of this together was so extraordinarily nice that Levin laughed and cried with delight . Going a long way round by Gazetny Place and Kislovka , he went back again to the hotel , and putting his watch before him , he sat down to wait for twelve o'clock . In the next room they were talking about some sort of machines , and swindling , and coughing their morning coughs . They did not realize that the hand was near twelve . The hand reached it .