a
quarter to nine in the evening
`` This evening ? '' said Stuart . `` Yes , this evening , '' replied Fogg . Then , referring to a pocket almanack , he added : `` This is Wednesday , the 2nd of October ; I shall be due in London , in this room , on Saturday , the 21st of December , at a quarter to nine in the evening , or , in default , the twenty thousand at Baring 's , to my credit , will be yours , gentlemen . Here is my cheque for that sum . '' A memorandum of the conditions of the bet was made and signed by all parties concerned . Phileas Fogg was as cool as ever .