In the early hours of yesterday morning, Tony Blair's official spokesman made a definite prediction. Neither the British and Irish government leaders, nor the North's main pro-Belfast Agreement politicians, would be at Hillsborough Castle today, Good Friday.
You could forget about a Good Friday mark II agreement on decommissioning and the formation of an executive, he said. If there was going to be a deal, it was going to be a Holy Thursday deal.
This was about 1 a.m. Inside, the lights burned brightly in the many rooms of the castle. Outside, the dwindling number of anti-agreement protesters with their Red Hand of Ulster and Union Jack flags continued to taunt and heckle anybody who came out of the building for a breath of air, be they republican, nationalist, unionist or minor official.
The fourth day of talks had now begun, and we were in for a marathon session of spin and counterspin. Mr Blair's official spokes man told us that an agreement was still possible. He delivered the buzz words. The talks at that stage were moving apace, progress was being made, everybody was focused and concentrated, it was all very constructive.
Listening to him, reporters could be forgiven for believing a deal was practically sewn up. But, as in every media briefing over the four days of talks, he was quickly followed by the official spokesman of the Sinn Fein leader, Mr Gerry Adams, who disabused us of early morning cheer. Yes, politicians were focused and concentrated, but there was no sign of an agreement, he said.
Inside, Mr Blair took a break from his "war room", where he was also monitoring developments in Kosovo, to take a stroll through the building. He entered the large throne room, where politicians of different shades of green and orange were mingling, to chat to the different parties.
He spoke to a number of Ulster Unionist Assembly members who, insiders said, reminded him of his pledges, or implicit pledges, on decommissioning which he made on Good Friday last year.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, also chatted to the different parties. Throughout the night the talks continued in various rooms and nooks and crannies of the castle. There was word of a British-Irish paper in circulation which could resolve all the problems, surmount all the hurdles and break all the deadlocks.
The Alliance leader, Mr Sean Neeson, wandered out at about 4 a.m. to tell the sleepy reporters and camera crews of the "novel" ideas being floated inside. The reporters would be surprised at what was in the paper, he suggested.
About 4.30 a.m., Mr Blair's spokesman was out again to speak of progress inside. Key elements were falling into place, he said. Then we had Mr Adams's spokesman reappearing to dampen such optimism. Inside, Mr Blair had a sleepless night. If Mr Ahern managed to take a nap, it was a brief one. "He was certainly fresh and on the ball around 5 a.m," said one of the talks participants.
Some of the politicians in the throne room grabbed 40 winks, while their colleagues continued talking and exchanging papers and searching for a way forward.
And so it went on. The beautiful big moon gave way to lovely morning sunrise. Inside, the politicians stuck to their task. Reporters filing for early broadcasts and evening newspapers were unsure whether to talk of stalemate ended or deepening crisis. Some plumped for both.
By this stage the protesters were well away. At about 11 a.m., Mr Trimble's official spokesman came out to tell us the situation was "still fluid". We pondered on that one. An hour later we got the first indication that maybe the negative spin was the correct spin.
The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, emerged from the castle to talk of an "air of irreconcilability". Before we had time to ponder that line properly, Mr Dermot Nesbitt of the Ulster Unionist Party was out to tell us he was still "hopeful".
At lunchtime, the BBC's political man, Stephen Grimason, told one o'clock news time listeners that he had just learned that the talks were going to be adjourned. Shortly afterwards some of the politicians started driving away from the castle, effectively confirming that it was not all signed, sealed and delivered.
A few protesters had gathered again at the castle. After 3 p.m. reporters were brought around the back of the castle to listen to Mr Blair and Mr Ahern put their very positive interpretations on their joint declaration.
This was after almost 30 hours of continuous talks at Hillsborough, with fairly brief absences of Ulster Unionist politicians and the Taoiseach and British Prime Minister.
There was no Holy Thursday agreement, but there were the makings of a deal, said Mr Blair and Mr Ahern, positive as ever. We would all have to come back on Tuesday week.