one
o’clock
After announcing this determination , the honourable gentleman grew jocular ; and as patent boots , lemon-coloured kid gloves , and a fur coat collar , assist jokes materially , there was immense laughter and much cheering , and moreover such a brilliant display of ladies ' pocket-handkerchiefs , as threw the grievous gentleman quite into the shade . And when the petition had been read and was about to be adopted , there came forward the Irish member -LRB- who was a young gentleman of ardent temperament , -RRB- with such a speech as only an Irish member can make , breathing the true soul and spirit of poetry , and poured forth with such fervour , that it made one warm to look at him ; in the course whereof , he told them how he would demand the extension of that great boon to his native country ; how he would claim for her equal rights in the muffin laws as in all other laws ; and how he yet hoped to see the day when crumpets should be toasted in her lowly cabins , and muffin bells should ring in her rich green valleys . And , after him , came the Scotch member , with various pleasant allusions to the probable amount of profits , which increased the good humour that the poetry had awakened ; and all the speeches put together did exactly what they were intended to do , and established in the hearers ' minds that there was no speculation so promising , or at the same time so praiseworthy , as the United Metropolitan Improved Hot Muffin and Crumpet Baking and Punctual Delivery Company . So , the petition in favour of the bill was agreed upon , and the meeting adjourned with acclamations , and Mr. Nickleby and the other directors went to the office to lunch , as they did every day at half-past one o'clock ; and to remunerate themselves for which trouble , -LRB- as the company was yet in its infancy , -RRB- they only charged three guineas each man for every such attendance . Mr. Ralph Nickleby receives Sad Tidings of his Brother , but bears up nobly against the Intelligence communicated to him . The Reader is informed how he liked Nicholas , who is herein introduced , and how kindly he proposed to make his Fortune at once Having rendered his zealous assistance towards dispatching the lunch , with all that promptitude and energy which are among the most important qualities that men of business can possess , Mr. Ralph Nickleby took a cordial farewell of his fellow-speculators , and bent his steps westward in unwonted good humour . As he passed St Paul 's he stepped aside into a doorway to set his watch , and with his hand on the key and his eye on the cathedral dial , was intent upon so doing , when a man suddenly stopped before him .