eight o’clock
His mind was so clearly running on the assumption of Tom 's having come to town to see an extensive circle of anxious relations and friends , that it would have been pretty hard work to undeceive him . Tom did not try . He cheerfully evaded the subject , and going into the Inn , fell fast asleep before a fire in one of the public rooms opening from the yard . When he awoke , the people in the house were all astir , so he washed and dressed himself ; to his great refreshment after the journey ; and , it being by that time eight o'clock , went forth at once to see his old friend John . John Westlock lived in Furnival 's Inn , High Holborn , which was within a quarter of an hour 's walk of Tom 's starting-point , but seemed a long way off , by reason of his going two or three miles out of the straight road to make a short cut . When at last he arrived outside John 's door , two stories up , he stood faltering with his hand upon the knocker , and trembled from head to foot . For he was rendered very nervous by the thought of having to relate what had fallen out between himself and Pecksniff ; and he had a misgiving that John would exult fearfully in the disclosure .