a quarter past eight
What did it mean ? Could they have divined that he was about to run away , and were going to alter their treatment ; or had Uncle Richard , who seemed again so grave and cold , been taking his part after he had gone to bed ? But he had very little time for dwelling upon that ; the question which troubled him was , How could he go away now ? The thoughts sent him into a cold perspiration , and he glanced anxiously at the clock , to see that it was a quarter past eight , and that in fifteen minutes , according to custom , he must start for the office -- for the office , and then -- where ? Just then Mary entered with the breakfast-tray , and , chatting pleasantly , all took their seats . Mary whisked off two covers , to display fried ham and eggs on one , hot grilled kidneys on the other . Tom grew hotter and colder , and asked himself whether he was going out of his mind , for there was no thin tea and bread-and-butter that morning .