one o'clock precisely
It was a noble old hall , with its walls hung with family pictures and rusty arms and trophies of the chase ; with doors opening on each side into spacious apartments ; and with a broad staircase ascending from the center . The fat old negro housekeeper , waddling along before the men , led them to the back of the hall , and opened a door on the right , admitting them into the library of Tanglewood . Here the men set down the boxes . And when they had brought them all in , and Sam , under the direction of Gray , had forced off all the tops , laying the contents bare to view , the latter said : `` Now then , Ishmael , we will leave you to go to work and unpack ; but do n't you get so interested in the work as to disremember dinner time at one o'clock precisely ; and be sure you are punctual , because we 've got veal and spinnidge . '' `` Thank you , Uncle Reuben , I will not keep you waiting , '' replied the youth . Gray and his assistant departed , and Ishmael was left alone with the wealth of books around him . Round the room are shelves of dainty lore , And rich old pictures hang upon the walls , Where the slant light falls on them ; and wrought gems , Medallions , rare mosaics and antiques From Herculaneum , the niches fill ; And on a table of enamel wrought With a lost art in Italy , do lie Prints of fair women and engravings rare .