ten minutes before three
Clara could hardly make up her mind whether Captain Aylmer was or was not a sincere man . On the following day Aylmer was out all the morning , paying visits among his constituents , and at three o'clock he was to make his speech in the Town-hall . Special places in the gallery were to be kept for Mrs. Winterfield and her niece , and the old woman was quite resolved that she would be there . As the day advanced she became very fidgety , and at length she was quite alive to the perils of having to climb up the Town-hall stairs ; but she persevered , and at ten minutes before three she was seated in her place . `` I suppose they will begin with prayer , '' she said to Clara . Clara , who knew nothing of the manner in which things were done at such meetings , said that she supposed so . A town councillor 's wife who sat on the other side of Mrs. Winterfield , here took the liberty of explaining that as the Captain was going to talk politics there would be no prayers .