ten o'clock
When Pen 's bed-time came the songs were hushed . Lights appeared in the upper room : _ his _ room , whither the widow used to conduct him ; and then the major and Mr. Warrington , and sometimes Miss Laura , would have a game at _ écarté _ or backgammon ; or she would sit by working a pair of slippers in worsted -- a pair of gentleman 's slippers -- they might have been for Arthur , or for George , or for Major Pendennis : one of those three would have given any thing for the slippers . While such business as this was going on within , a rather shabby old gentleman would come and lead away the pale girl in the black bonnet ; who had no right to be abroad in the night air , and the Temple porters , the few laundresses , and other amateurs who had been listening to the concert , would also disappear . Just before ten o'clock there was another musical performance , namely , that of the chimes of St. Clement 's clock in the Strand , which played the clear , cheerful notes of a psalm , before it proceeded to ring its ten fatal strokes . As they were ringing , Laura began to fold up the slippers ; Martha from Fairoaks appeared with a bed-candle , and a constant smile on her face ; the major said , `` God bless my soul , is it so late ? '' Warrington and he left their unfinished game , and got up and shook hands with Miss Bell . Martha from Fairoaks lighted them out of the passage and down the stair , and , as they descended , they could hear , her bolting and locking `` the sporting door '' after them , upon her young mistress and herself .