Directly a voice cried, in the same slightly-raised monotone:
"Nine o'clock and fifty minutes!"
This also passed from man to man, until it touched the street like a shudder.
"Nine o'clock and fifty-five minutes!" said the same relentless voice, after the next interval, each of which narrowed to a lesser span the life of the good President.
Ten o'clock here sounded, and conspiring echo said in reverberation:
"Ten o'clock!"
So like a creeping thing, from lip to lip, went:
"Ten o'clock and five minutes."
(An interval.)
"Ten o'clock and ten minutes!"