six in the morning
De gustibus -- alas ! When Portlaw arrived home late that evening there existed within his somewhat ordinary intellect a sense of triumph . The weak usually experience it at the beginning and through every step of their own subjugation . Malcourt , having decided to take an express which stopped on signal at six in the morning , was reading as usual before the empty fireplace ; and at the first glance he suspected what had begun to happen to Portlaw . The latter bustled about the room with an air of more or less importance , sorted his letters , fussed with a newspaper ; and every now and then Malcourt , glancing up , caught Portlaw 's eyes peeping triumphantly around corners at him . `` You 've been riding ? '' he said , much amused .