eleven o’clock
After a time he kissed her cheek , still motioning her to silence , and walked on , looking far before him , and sometimes stopping and gazing with a puckered brow upon the ground , as if he were painfully trying to collect his disordered thoughts . Once she saw tears in his eyes . When he had gone on thus for some time , he took her hand in his as he was accustomed to do , with nothing of the violence or animation of his late manner ; and so , by degrees so fine that the child could not trace them , he settled down into his usual quiet way , and suffered her to lead him where she would . When they presented themselves in the midst of the stupendous collection , they found , as Nell had anticipated , that Mrs Jarley was not yet out of bed , and that , although she had suffered some uneasiness on their account overnight , and had indeed sat up for them until past eleven o'clock , she had retired in the persuasion , that , being overtaken by storm at some distance from home , they had sought the nearest shelter , and would not return before morning . Nell immediately applied herself with great assiduity to the decoration and preparation of the room , and had the satisfaction of completing her task , and dressing herself neatly , before the beloved of the Royal Family came down to breakfast . ` We have n't had , ' said Mrs Jarley when the meal was over , ` more than eight of Miss Monflathers 's young ladies all the time we 've been here , and there 's twenty-six of ` em , as I was told by the cook when I asked her a question or two and put her on the free-list . We must try ` em with a parcel of new bills , and you shall take it , my dear , and see what effect that has upon ` em . '