nine o'clock
Each had some little attention paid to him : her politeness to Mr. Foker was perhaps a little more encouraging than her kindness to Arthur ; but the benevolent little creature did her best to make both the gentlemen happy . Foker caught her last glance as she rushed out of the door ; that bright look passed over Mr. Strong 's broad white waistcoat , and shot straight at Harry Foker 's . The door closed on the charmer : he sate down with a sigh , and swallowed a bumper of claret . * * * * * As the dinner at which Pen and his uncle took their places was not one of our grand parties , it had been served at a considerably earlier hour than those ceremonial banquets of the London season , which custom has ordained shall scarcely take place before nine o'clock ; and , the company being small , and Miss Blanche anxious to betake herself to her piano in the drawing-room , giving constant hints to her mother to retreat -- Lady Clavering made that signal very speedily , so that it was quite daylight yet when the ladies reached the upper apartments , from the flower-embroidered balconies of which they could command a view of the two parks , of the poor couples and children still sauntering in the one , and of the equipages of ladies and the horses of dandies passing through the arch of the other . The sun , in a word , had not set behind the elms of Kensington Gardens , and was still gilding the statue erected by the ladies of England in honor of his grace the Duke of Wellington , when Lady Clavering and her female friends left the gentlemen drinking wine . The windows of the dining-room were opened to let in the fresh air , and afforded to the passers-by in the street a pleasant , or , perhaps , tantalizing view of six gentlemen in white waistcoats , with a quantity of decanters and a variety of fruits before them -- little boys , as they passed and jumped up at the area-railings , and took a peep , said to one another , `` Mi hi , Jim , should n't you like to be there , and have a cut of that there pine-apple ? '' -- the horses and carriages of the nobility and gentry passed by , conveying them to Belgravian toilets : the policeman , with clamping feet , patrolled up and down before the mansion : the shades of evening began to fall : the gas-man came and lighted the lamps before Sir Francis 's door : the butler entered the dining-room , and illuminated the antique Gothic chandelier over the antique carved oak dining-table : so that from outside the house you looked inward upon a night scene of feasting and wax candles ; and from within you beheld a vision of a calm summer evening , and the wall of St. James 's Park , and the sky above , in which a star or two was just beginning to twinkle .