seven o'clock
in the evening
In the town he was called Radish , and they declared that this was his real name . He was as fond of the theatre as I was , and as soon as rumours reached him that a performance was being got up he threw aside all his work and went to the Azhogins ' to paint scenes . The day after my talk with my sister , I was working at the Azhogins ' from morning till night . The rehearsal was fixed for seven o'clock in the evening , and an hour before it began all the amateurs were gathered together in the hall , and the eldest , the middle , and the youngest Azhogins were pacing about the stage , reading from manuscript books . Radish , in a long rusty-red overcoat and a scarf muffled round his neck , already stood leaning with his head against the wall , gazing with a devout expression at the stage . Madame Azhogin went up first to one and then to another guest , saying something agreeable to each . She had a way of gazing into one 's face , and speaking softly as though telling a secret .