seven o'clock
He ate his dinner rather silently , glancing furtively at the paper . Only at the breakfast-table -- such was their convention -- did he allow himself to become absorbed in the news . Ariadne prattled to her mother of her adventures in the kitchen , where Patsy O'Hern , ` Stashie 's cousin Patsy , was visiting her , and he made Ariadne a `` horse out of a potato and toothpicks for legs , and a little wagon out of a matchbox , and a paper doll to sit and drive , and Patsy was perfectly loverly , anyhow , and he was making such a lot of money every day , and , oh , he made the wheels out of potato , too , as round as could be he cut it , and he gave every cent of it to his grandmother and she loved him as much as she did ` Stashie , and was n't it good to have ` Stashie back , and -- '' Paul frowned silently over his pie . `` Come , dear ; it 's seven o'clock and bedtime , '' said Lydia , leading the little girl away . When she came back she noticed by the clock that she had been gone almost half an hour . She was surprised to see Paul still in the dining-room , as though he had not stirred since she left him . He was sitting in an attitude of moody idleness , singular with him , his elbows on the table , his chin in his hands .