The first two hours from five to seven
o'clock
The second-year soldiers , on the other hand , rejoiced over their lazy days . They took things easy , and laughed at the recruits , who adhered conscientiously to every detail of the instructions , and would not take off their uncomfortable swords while sleeping on the hard benches , even after the orderly-officer had inspected them . Vogt was posted inside the back gate of the barracks , through which the road led towards the riding-school on one side , and straight on to the wood on the slope of the hill . The first two hours from five to seven o'clock in the after noon seemed to him terribly wearisome and purposeless ; but during the night from eleven to one o'clock he felt stimulated by the sense of responsibility . The sentries were then locked outside , and had to patrol two sides of the great quadrangle surrounded by the public offices . The night was pitch dark , so that Vogt was unable to distinguish his narrow path . But he stumbled bravely up and down by the buildings for his two hours .