three o’clock
the latter exclaimed , hurriedly . `` Gentlemen , '' he added , `` I must ask you to excuse me . Vasia , my clerk , has just told me of such a little piece of news '' -LRB- Golushkin expressed himself thus purposely by way of a joke -RRB- `` which absolutely necessitates my leaving you for awhile . But I hope , gentlemen , that you will come and have dinner with me at three o'clock . Then we shall be more free ! '' Neither Solomin nor Nejdanov knew what to say , but Markelov replied instantly , with that same severity in his face and voice : `` Of course we will come . '' `` Thanks very much , '' Golushkin said hastily , and bending down to Markelov , added , `` I will give a thousand roubles for the cause in any case ... .