eight o’clock in the
evening
It was thundered out by a choir who marched in step up and down his staircase . Bars of it were softly hummed in his ear while he tried to note the important truths which the lecturers impressed upon their classes . One night five musicians relieved each other at the task of playing the tune on a concertina outside his door . They commenced briskly at eight o'clock in the evening , and the final sleepy version only died away at six the next morning . Dr. Henry , who either did not know or chose to ignore the state of the students ' feelings , advised Hyacinth to become a member of the Theological Debating Society . The election to membership , he said , was a mere form , and nobody was ever excluded . Hyacinth sent his name to the secretary , and was blackbeaned by an overwhelming majority of the members .