nine o'clock
Christian stood watching it , for the hundredth time , with that vague sensation of pleasure which she felt at sight of all lovely things , whether of nature or art . That , at least , had never left her ; she hoped it never might . It was something to hold by , though all the world slid by like a dream . Very dreamy her life felt still , though she had tried to make it more real and natural by resuming some of her old ways , and especially her morning walk , before the nine o'clock breakfast at the Lodge . She had made a faint protest in favor of an earlier hour than nine , and begged that the children might come down to breakfast ; she craved so to have the little faces about the table . But Miss Gascoigne had said solemnly that `` my poor dear sister always breakfasted at nine , and never allowed her children to breakfast any where but in the nursery . '' And that reference , which was made many times a day , invariably silenced Christian .