Ten
minutes past eight
And what was he to do with the remaining half ? Well , he had settled that , thank God ! He turned and glanced anxiously at the clock . Ten minutes past eight -- only ten minutes had been consumed in that stormy rush through his whole past ! And he must wait another twenty minutes for Ascham . It was one of the worst symptoms of his case that , in proportion as he had grown to shrink from human company , he dreaded more and more to be alone . ... But why the devil was he waiting for Ascham ?