twelve minutes past
eleven
`` Thank you ; I will go and look at that . '' Robert bethought himself suddenly that Edward had better not . `` I can tell you the time to a second , '' he said . `` It 's now twelve minutes past eleven . '' Edward held his watch balancing . `` Twelve , '' he repeated ; and , behind this mask of common-place dialogue , they watched one another -- warily , and still with pity , on Robert 's side . `` You ca n't place any reliance on watches , '' said Edward .