twelve
o'clock
He respected the house of Osborne before all others in the City of London : and his hope and wish was that Captain George should marry a nobleman 's daughter . The clerk slept a great deal sounder than his principal that night ; and , cuddling his children after breakfast -LRB- of which he partook with a very hearty appetite , though his modest cup of life was only sweetened with brown sugar -RRB- , he set off in his best Sunday suit and frilled shirt for business , promising his admiring wife not to punish Captain D. 's port too severely that evening . Mr. Osborne 's countenance , when he arrived in the City at his usual time , struck those dependants who were accustomed , for good reasons , to watch its expression , as peculiarly ghastly and worn . At twelve o'clock Mr. Higgs -LRB- of the firm of Higgs & Blatherwick , solicitors , Bedford Row -RRB- called by appointment , and was ushered into the governor 's private room , and closeted there for more than an hour . At about one Mr. Chopper received a note brought by Captain Dobbin 's man , and containing an inclosure for Mr. Osborne , which the clerk went in and delivered . A short time afterwards Mr. Chopper and Mr. Birch , the next clerk , were summoned , and requested to witness a paper . `` I 've been making a new will , '' Mr. Osborne said , to which these gentlemen appended their names accordingly .