ten minutes to seven
I do n't think I did . It was , as a matter of fact , the only room in those parts , for , in the days when he did his amateur painting , old Harold was strong on the artistic seclusion business and hated noise , and his studio was the only room in use on that floor . In short , to sum up , the thing was a cinch . Punctually at ten minutes to seven , I was in readiness on the scene . There was a recess with a curtain in front of it a few yards from the door , and there I waited , fondling my little wedge , for Harold to walk up and allow the proceedings to start . It was almost pitch-dark , and that made the time of waiting seem longer . Presently -- I seemed to have been there longer than ten minutes -- I heard steps approaching .