three minutes to eight
` You 'd better see that Miss Racksole changes her room to-night , ' Jules said after another pause . ` Leave it to me : I 'll fix it . Au revoir ! It 's three minutes to eight . I shall take charge of the dining-room myself to-night . ' And Jules departed , rubbing his fine white hands slowly and meditatively . It was a trick of his , to rub his hands with a strange , roundabout motion , and the action denoted that some unusual excitement was in the air .