two o'clock in the afternoon
The perfume of the flowers mingled heavily with the faint odour which pervades the chamber of death , -- an odour that is like the reminiscence of sorrow . Like a spirit of order , with solemn face and quiet tread , Miss Hester moved about the room , placing one thing here , another there , but ever doing or changing something , all with maidenly neatness . What a childish fancy this is of humanity 's , tiptoeing and whispering in the presence of death , as if one by an incautious word or a hasty step might wake the sleeper from such deep repose ! The service had been set for two o'clock in the afternoon . One or two women had already come in to `` sit , '' but by half-past one the general congregation began to arrive and to take their places . They were mostly women . The hour of the day was partially responsible for this ; but then men do not go to funerals anyway , if they can help it .