twenty minutes to four
He lay quite still , his eyes fixed upon Mr. Fentolin . `` There comes a time , '' the latter continued , `` when every one of us is confronted with what might be described as the crisis of our lives . Yours has come , my guest , at precisely this moment . It is , if my watch tells me the truth , five and twenty minutes to four . It is the last day of April . The year you know . You have exactly one minute to decide whether you will live a short time longer , or whether you will on this last day of April , and before -- say , a quarter to four , make that little journey the nature of which you and I have discussed more than once . ''