about four o'clock
Some time before daybreak he came down to the place again , and , entering the water quietly , at a distance from the promontory , swam noiselessly out , and landed at the garden , and there concealed himself in a clump of bushes . Daylight came . An hour later some of the nuns of the second order , who belonged to poor families and acted as servants in the convent , came out into the garden , and busied themselves with the cultivation of the flowers , vegetables , and herbs . Not till the afternoon did any of the other inmates appear ; but at about four o'clock the great door of the convent opened , and a number of women and girls streamed out . The former were all in nuns ' attire , as were a few of the latter , but their garb was somewhat different from that of the elder sisters ; these were the novices . The greater number , however , of the girls were dressed in ordinary attire , and were the pupils of the convent . While the nuns walked quietly up and down or sat on benches and read , the pupils scattered in groups laughing and talking merrily together .