nearly ten o'clock
Then , last October , when I 'd nearly come to the end of my savings , I saw her going into a Public at New Cross . I could n't believe it ; it seemed too good to be true . I thought I must have made a mistake ; I dare n't go in , for fear she should know me ; and I thought she never would come out . When she did come out , and I saw it was really ` er , I nearly fainted right away ; but I follered ` er , and she went from Public to Public with two shops in between , and it was nearly ten o'clock when she took the tram , and past eleven when she got to her cottage at Catford , for she stopped at two more Publics . But I walked about all night , for I was n't going to take no chances ; and next morning I found , sure enough , that the child was there . But he was that changed , and he did n't know me . '' Her harsh voice sank to the mournfullest tone ; and she paused .