about eight o'clock
Then he changed again . `` And if you 'll kindly step forward and kiss me good morning I 'll try to snatch a few moments ' unconsciousness . '' Mr. Prohack 's life at this wonderful period of his career as a practising philosopher at grips with the great world seemed to be a series of violent awakenings . He was awakened , with even increased violence , at about eight o'clock the next -- or rather the same -- morning , and he would have been awakened earlier if the servants had got up earlier . The characteristic desire of the servants to rise early had , however , been enfeebled by the jolly vigils of the previous night . It was , of course , Eve who rushed in to him -- nobody else would have dared . She had hastily cast about her plumpness the transformed Chinese gown , which had the curious appearance of a survival from some former incarnation .