three o'clock
So I discovered next day when I attempted to buy David 's outfit , and found myself as shy of entering the shop as any Mary at the pawnbroker 's . The shop for little garments seems very alarming when you reach the door ; a man abruptly become a parent , and thus lost to a finer sense of the proprieties , may be able to stalk in unprotected , but apparently I could not . Indeed , I have allowed a repugnance to entering shops of any kind , save my tailor 's , to grow on me , and to my tailor 's I fear I go too frequently . So I skulked near the shop of the little garments , jeering at myself , and it was strange to me to reflect at , say , three o'clock that if I had been brazen at half-past two all would now be over . To show what was my state , take the case of the very gentleman-like man whom I detected gazing fixedly at me , or so I thought , just as I had drawn valiantly near the door . I sauntered away , but when I returned he was still there , which seemed conclusive proof that he had smoked my purpose . Sternly controlling my temper I bowed , and said with icy politeness , `` You have the advantage of me , sir . ''