four o'clock in the afternoon
The thought haunted him for a moment , and filled him with painful regret for that brotherliness now dead and gone . Then , with hardly a moment 's pause , his mind reverted to himself , and he realised that he might stubbornly remain there for hours without regaining faith . Nevertheless , he felt a sort of tremor pass through him , a final hope , a feeling that if the Blessed Virgin should perform the great miracle of curing Marie , he would at last believe . It was like a final delay which he allowed himself , an appointment with Faith for that very day , at four o'clock in the afternoon , when , according to what the girl had told him , the Blessed Sacrament would pass by . And at this thought his anguish at once ceased , he remained kneeling , worn out with fatigue and overcome by invincible drowsiness . The hours passed by , the resplendent illumination of the Grotto was still projected into the night , its reflection stretching to the neighbouring hillsides and whitening the walls of the convents there . However , Pierre noticed it grow paler and paler , which surprised him , and he roused himself , feeling thoroughly chilled ; it was the day breaking , beneath a leaden sky overcast with clouds .