ten o’clock
The answer reached him in an hour : ` What is it , my poor friend , which has so disturbed you as to prompt you to the writing of such a letter as I have just received ? I had thought myself safe in counting upon your esteem . If you are really called to London by affairs of urgency , I must not keep you , and , of course , I should be hurt if you went without telling me good-bye . It happens that I have engaged to dine at table-d'hôte tonight with passing friends , but I shall be free at ten o'clock . Ask for me then . ' Paul had been conscious and jealous of a good many small rivalries since he and the Baroness had first set up that platonic communion of soul in which they had now lived so long , but on the whole he had to confess that Gertrude had acted with complete discretion in these matters , and he had been repeatedly forced to admit to himself that he had been unable to find any real ground for his tremors . He had never once felt himself in actual danger of being deposed from his position of high priest in that ridiculous temple .