three o'clock
In this way Marlanx hoped to obtain his first footing in the confidence and esteem of the citizens . The unrecognisable corpse of Olga Platanova was buried in quicklime outside the city walls . There was something distinctly gruesome in the fact that half a dozen deep graves were dug alongside hers , hours before death came to the wretches who were to occupy them . At three o'clock the Iron Count coolly sent messengers to the homes of the leading merchants and bankers of the city . They , with the priests , the doctors , the municipal officers and the manufacturers were commanded to appear before him at five o'clock for the purpose of discussing the welfare of the city and its people . Hating , yet fearing him , they came ; not one but felt in his heart that the old man was undisputed ruler of their destinies . Hours of horror and despair , a night and a day of bitter reflection , had brought the trembling populace to the point of seeing clearly the whole miserable situation .