eight o'clock
She turned without another word and went quickly away , leaving the door open . It was clear that she was not pleased with the answer she had received . Six weeks later Sister Giovanna went to her rooms on the other side of the cloistered court after first chapel and knocked at the door . It was a Monday morning in March , and she was to be Supervising Nurse for the week , but the custom was to go on duty at eight o'clock and it was not yet seven . ` Well ? ' asked the Mother Superior , looking up from her papers , while the young nun remained standing respectfully at the corner of the big desk . The tone did not invite confidence ; for some reason as yet unexplained the Mother had avoided speaking with her best nurse since that morning in the cell .