About ten o'clock
McKeon offered to go with him ; but he declined the offer , saying , that this morning he would sooner be left alone with his doomed friend . He refused , too , the loan of McKeon 's car . He wanted to collect his thoughts and his energy by the walk , for he felt that he had much to do to school his own feelings before he could make his visit a comfort instead of a cause of additional distress to Macdermot . About ten o'clock he passed through the town , and rang the governor 's bell at the gaol door . He was a well-known visitor there now , and when the door was opened he expected at once , as usual , to be shown the prisoner 's cell ; but instead of that he was taken into the governor 's house . This officer had always been extremely civil to Father John ; and had shown all the kindness in his power , and that was no little , to the prisoner . He expressed himself to the priest greatly distressed at the verdict , and the consequent fate of Macdermot .