about nine o'clock
The fiacre was out of sight in a moment , but Sophia judged instantly the grade of the woman , who was evidently of the discreet class that frequented the big shops of an afternoon with something of their own to sell . Sophia 's grimness increased . The pace of the fiacre , her fatigued body , Gerald 's delightful , careless vivacity , the attractive streaming veil of the nice , modest courtesan -- everything conspired to increase it . Gerald returned to the bedroom which contained his wife and all else that he owned in the world at about nine o'clock that evening . Sophia was in bed . She had been driven to bed by weariness . She would have preferred to sit up to receive her husband , even if it had meant sitting up all night , but her body was too heavy for her spirit .