eleven o'clock
Mr. Guppy casts up his eyes at the portrait of Lady Dedlock over the mantelshelf and replies , `` Tony , you are asked to leave that to the honour of your friend . Besides its being calculated to serve that friend in those chords of the human mind which -- which need not be called into agonizing vibration on the present occasion -- your friend is no fool . What 's that ? '' `` It 's eleven o'clock striking by the bell of Saint Paul 's . Listen and you 'll hear all the bells in the city jangling . '' Both sit silent , listening to the metal voices , near and distant , resounding from towers of various heights , in tones more various than their situations . When these at length cease , all seems more mysterious and quiet than before .