ten minutes to twelve
Maggie fancied , as she watched him , that he was bewildered and scarcely knew where he was . Once he looked up and round about him ; he put his hand to his brow and then let it fall as though he had no longer any control over it . She was now so touched by the pathos of his helplessness that she could think of nothing else and longed to go to him and comfort him . Time stole on and it was now ten minutes to twelve . They sang another hymn , but the voices were very weak and feeble and the words quivered round the building in a ghostly whisper . Then Thurston came to the Master and gave him his arm and led him to the reading-desk . The old man seemed for a moment as though he would fall , then , holding to the front of the desk , he spoke in a very weak and faltering voice .