five o'clock
This was nearly three months after the murder , and it was already late in November . Panna knew that the witnesses were reimbursed for the expense incurred for the carriages in which they drove to the city , and begged the gardener to take her with him to the court , which the latter readily promised . On the appointed morning the peasant 's vehicle appeared in front of Panna 's hut at a very early hour . It was not yet five o'clock , and dense darkness obscured the village and the neighbourhood . But Panna already stood at her door , and was seated in the carriage almost before it had stopped . She wore a black dress , a dark shawl covered her shoulders , at her throat was her old silver crucifix , which had again come into her possession after her mother-in-law 's death , and on her head was a black silk kerchief , which set off her beautiful face so marvellously that one might have supposed she had studied the effect , had not this grave , strong woman been so wholly incapable of any act of coquetry . She was pale and thoughtful , and during the whole way did not address a single word to the gardener , who sat beside her , occasionally glancing at her with admiring approval , only one could see that the deep gloom which during the past few weeks had constantly shadowed her features had disappeared .