ten o'clock
The portrait frames on the walls shone golden through the darkness . Polunin paced up and down the room , his hands behind his back ; his footsteps were muffled in the thick carpet . Sleigh bells began to ring outside . It was just ten o'clock as the guests assembled from the town and the neighbouring estates . They were received in the drawing-room . Taper , the priest 's son , commenced playing a polka , and the ladies went into the ballroom ; the old butler and two footmen brought wax candles and basins of water , and the old ladies began to tell fortunes . A troupe of mummers tumbled in , a bear performed tricks , a Little Russian dulcimer-player sang songs .