three o'clock in the afternoon
And as the venerable man thus addressed them severally , he extended his hands to bless them ; and they received that blessing with holy meekness , and yet with a joyous feeling which appeared to be of glorious augury for their future happiness . Then , obedient to the command of the stranger , they slowly quitted the apartment -- urged to yield to his will by a secret influence which they could not resist , but which nevertheless animated them with a pious confidence in the integrity of his purpose . The door closed behind them , and Christian Rosencrux remained in the room with the dead Wagner and the dying Nisida . While the incidents related in the last few chapters were taking place at the Riverola Palace , the council of state had assembled to receive the grand vizier , the mighty Ibrahim , who had signified his intention of meeting that august body at three o'clock in the afternoon . Accordingly , as soon as he had witnessed the marriage ceremony which united his sister to the Count of Riverola , he returned from Wagner 's mansion to his own pavilion in the midst of the Ottoman encampment . There he arrayed him in a manner becoming his exalted rank , and mounting his splendid caparisoned steed , he repaired with a brilliant escort to the ducal palace . The streets of the city of Florence were thronged with multitudes eager to gain a sight of the representative of the sultan -- a view of the man whose will and pleasure swayed the greatest empire in existence at that period of the world 's age !