eight o’clock
By three o'clock it was known that up to eleven parties were neck and neck , and the excitement grew more and more intense . Every public-house in Cowfold was free , and soon after dinner-time there was not a single person in the place who was ever drunk before who had not found it necessary to get drunk then in order to support the strain on his nerves . Four o'clock came , and the polling-booth was shut ; the numbers were made up , and the two committees now anxiously awaited the news from the outlying districts . The general impression seemed to be that the popular candidate would win by about a dozen , and by eight o'clock a crowd had assembled before the `` Cross Keys '' to give due welcome to the desired announcement . Ten o'clock came , and the mob began to get impatient and unruly . Then there was a stir and a roar , and the whole assemblage rushed off to the `` Angel , '' in the square . On the balcony was a huge placard , with the purple hero at the top -- 1837 -- and below was the orange favourite , in small and ignominious figures -- 1831 .