fifteen minutes to eleven
And , not content with the mustard he had already plastered the kidney with , he shook pepper over it , heaping it up upon his knife first and agitating that implement with his fork to make the pepper fall evenly . I do not know why these details of the way he eats should irritate me so . `` Now , mind you catch the early post , '' he continued , `` and tell him who the party are . '' At fifteen minutes to eleven I found myself still staring irresolutely at the sheet of note-paper lying before me on the writing-table in my boudoir . It had the date written , and `` Dear Sir Antony . '' The rest was a blank . The little , brand-new Dresden clock on the mantel-piece chimed the three-quarters .