five o'clock
He felt safe now . No one would ever look upon the horrible thing . No eye but his would ever see his shame . On reaching the library he found that it was just after five o'clock , and that the tea had been already brought up . On a little table of dark perfumed wood thickly encrusted with nacre , a present from Lady Radley , his guardian 's wife , a pretty professional invalid , who had spent the preceding winter in Cairo , was lying a note from Lord Henry , and beside it was a book bound in yellow paper , the cover slightly torn and the edges soiled . A copy of the third edition of _ The St. James 's Gazette _ had been placed on the tea-tray . It was evident that Victor had returned .