two o'clock
Having nothing , therefore , to occupy my attention , and being seated exactly opposite Clara Saville , I could scarcely fail to observe the effect produced by one which Mr. Coleman had handed to her . When her eye first fell on the writing she gave a slight start , and a flush -LRB- I could not decide whether of pleasure or anger -RRB- mounted to her brow . As she perused the contents she grew deadly pale , and I feared she was about to faint : recovering herself , ~ 277 ~ ~ however , by a strong effort , she read steadily to the end , quietly refolded the letter , and , placing it in a pocket in her dress , apparently resumed her breakfast -- I say apparently , for I noticed that , although she busied herself with what was on her plate , it remained untasted , and she took the earliest opportunity , as soon as the meal was concluded , of leaving the room . `` I 'm afraid I must ask you to excuse me till after lunch , old fellow , '' said Coleman , `` you see we 're so dreadfully busy just now with this confounded suit I went down to Bury about -- ` Bowler _ versus _ Stumps ' ; but if you can amuse yourself till two o'clock we 'll go and have a jolly good walk to shake up an appetite for dinner . '' `` The very thing , '' replied I ; `` I have a letter to Harry Oaklands which has been on the stocks for the last four days , and which I particularly wish to finish , and then I 'm your man , for a ten-mile trot if you like it . '' `` So be it , then , '' said Freddy , leaving the room as he spoke . As soon as he was gone , instead of fetching my half-written epistle I flung myself into an arm-chair , and devoted myself to the profitable employment of conjecturing the possible cause of Clara Saville 's strange agitation on receiving that letter .