ten minutes past nine
I want to speak to you . '' The gesture was rude , but it was picoteed with a faint edge of pitifulness . The way he put his hand to his head suggested that he was in pain , so she shifted her hands from the keys and looked up vigilantly , prepared to be kind if he had need of it , for of course people in pain did not know what they were doing . But since there was no sense in letting people think they could just bite one 's head off and nothing to pay , she said with spirit , `` But it 's ten minutes past nine , and what 's this by my machine ? '' Mr. Philip bowed his head with an air of meekness ; he seemed to sway under the burden of his extreme humility , to be feeling sick under the strain of his extreme forbearance . He went on in a voice which implied that he was forgiving her freely for an orgy of impertinence . `` Will you please take a note , Miss Melville , that Mr. Mactavish James wants to speak to you this afternoon ? ''