nearly eleven o'clock
Shy , and yet strong ; plain , and yet pleasing ; it was the face of a type of man who has little to say for himself in this world , and says that little badly , but who has done more than all the talkers and the writers to ring this planet round with a crimson girdle of British possessions . `` Wonder whether Jack Garraway is ready ! '' he murmured , throwing down the _ Scotsman _ , and staring up at the roof . `` It 's nearly eleven o'clock . '' He rose with a yawn , picked up the poker , stood upon the chair , and banged three times upon the ceiling . Three muffled taps responded from the room above . Dimsdale stepped down and began slowly to discard his coat and his waistcoat .