eight o'clock
It was a ghastly tale , told in fragments to Robin here and there during his journeyings by men in taverns , before whom he must keep a brave face . And a few farmers were there , old Mr. Merton among them , come in to welcome the son of the Squire of Matstead , returned under a feigned name , unknown even to his father , and there , too , was honest Dick Sampson , come up from Dethick to see his old master . So here , in the hall he knew so well , himself splashed with red marl from ankle to shoulder , still cloaked and spurred , one by one these knelt before him , beginning with Marjorie herself , and ending with the youngest farm-boy , who breathed heavily as he knelt down and got up round-eyed and staring . `` And his Reverence will hear confessions , '' proclaimed Marjorie to the multitude , `` at eight o'clock to-night ; and he will say mass and give holy communion at six o'clock to-morrow morning . '' He had to hear that night , after supper , and before he went to keep his engagement in the chapel-room , the entire news of the county ; and , in his turn , to tell his own adventures . The company sat together before the great hall-fire , to take the dessert , since there would have been no room in the parlour for all who wished to hear . -LRB- He heard the tale of Mr. Thomas FitzHerbert , traitor , apostate and sworn man of her Grace , later , when he had come down again from the chapel-room , and the servants had gone . -RRB-