nearly six o'clock
`` There 's a cat in the rain , '' said Silvio , flattening his nose against the blurred glass , and manifestly inclined to select the sadder aspects of the world 's news for retail . That tendency too , perhaps , he inherited from Hilary . Presently he added , `` There 's a taxi coming up the street , '' and Peggy placed Thomas on Peter 's knees and came to the window to look . When she had looked she said to Peter , `` It must be nearly six o'clock '' -LRB- the clock gained seventeen minutes a day , so that the time was always a matter for nicer calculation than Peggy could usually afford to give it -RRB- ; `` and if Hilary 's got flu , I should think Tommy 'd be best out of the room ... . I have n't easily the time to put him to bed this evening , really . '' Peter accepted the suggestion and conveyed his son from the room . As he did so , someone knocked at the front door , and Peggy ran downstairs to open it .