eleven o'clock
There were Mr. Longestaffe , the father , Dolly Longestaffe , and Mr. Bideawhile . The house was still in Melmotte 's possession , and Melmotte and Mr. Longestaffe were no longer on friendly terms . Direct application for permission to have this meeting in this place had been formally made to Mr. Melmotte , and he had complied . The meeting took place at eleven o'clock -- a terribly early hour . Dolly had at first hesitated as to placing himself as he thought between the fire of two enemies , and Mr. Squercum had told him that as the matter would probably soon be made public , he could not judiciously refuse to meet his father and the old family lawyer . Therefore Dolly had attended , at great personal inconvenience to himself . `` By George , it 's hardly worth having if one is to take all this trouble about it , '' Dolly had said to Lord Grasslough , with whom he had fraternised since the quarrel with Nidderdale .