eight o'clock
But first ask the porter whether her husband -- that is , Mr. Krasnovsky -- has returned yet . If he has returned , do n't deliver the letter , but come back . Wait a minute ! ... If she asks whether I have any one here , tell her that there have been two gentlemen here since eight o'clock , writing something . '' I drove to Znamensky Street . The porter told me that Mr. Krasnovsky had not yet come in , and I made my way up to the third storey . The door was opened by a tall , stout , drab-coloured flunkey with black whiskers , who in a sleepy , churlish , and apathetic voice , such as only flunkeys use in addressing other flunkeys , asked me what I wanted .