ten o’clock
Besides , fancy the humor of sitting next to a pickpocket with this on me . '' He waved a cheery farewell , and the pawnbroker , watching him from the door , scowled angrily as he saw his light-hearted friend hail an omnibus at the corner and board it . Then he went back to the shop , and his everyday business of making advances on flat-irons and other realizable assets of the neighborhood . At ten o'clock he closed for the night , the assistant hurriedly pulling down the shutters that his time for recreation might not be unduly curtailed . He slept off the premises , and the pawnbroker , after his departure , made a slight supper , and sat revolving the affairs of the day over another of his black cigars until nearly midnight . Then , well contented with himself , he went up the bare , dirty stairs to his room and went to bed , and , despite the excitement of the evening , was soon in a loud slumber , from which he was aroused by a distant and sustained knocking . At first the noise mingled with his dreams , and helped to form them .