a quarter to three
o'clock
rather to receive punishment for a crime , than to exercise their elective franchise in a free country ! -- Gammon colored a little ; took out his pocket-book and pencil ; and fixing on the first of the tenantry , Mark Hackett , the eye , as it were , of a suddenly revived serpent , wrote down his name in silence -- but what an expression was on his face ! Thus he acted towards every one of those unhappy and doomed persons ; replacing his pocket-book whence he had taken it , as soon as the last of the little body had polled . It was now a quarter to three o'clock , -LRB- the poll closing finally at _ four _ , -RRB- and thus stood the numbers : -- Delamere 149 Titmouse 146 -- Majority 3 On these figures being exhibited by an eager member of Mr. Delamere 's committee , there arose a tremendous uproar among the crowd , and cries of `` Tear it down ! Tear it down ! Ah ! Bribery and corruption !