Twenty past twelve
A universal favourite with the members of the Force his entry was acclaimed with delight . They promptly bade him sit down and contribute -- à la Boccaccio -- to their impromptu Decameron , which request he -LRB- sad to relate -RRB- complied with . Amid the roar of laughter that greeted the Doctor 's last bon mot , that gentleman looked ruefully at his watch and prepared to depart . `` Twenty past twelve ! '' he ejaculated , `` and I 've got four more patients to see yet ... ! Behold the retarding influences of bad company ! '' `` Say , Doctor , '' enquired Yorke , `` how 's Hardy doing ?