four o'clock
He should see how happy they were , what a good wife she made , and how devoted and _ satisfied _ Bertram was in his home . He should see ! And forthwith Billy picked up her skirts and tripped up-stairs to select her very prettiest house-gown to do honor to the occasion . Up-stairs , however , one thing and another delayed her , so that it was four o'clock when she turned her attention to her toilet ; and it was while she was hesitating whether to be stately and impressive in royally sumptuous blue velvet and ermine , or cozy and tantalizingly homy -LCB- sic -RCB- in bronze-gold crêpe de Chine and swan 's - down , that the telephone bell rang again . Eliza and Pete had not yet returned ; so , as before , Billy answered it . This time Eliza 's shaking voice came to her . `` Is that you , ma'am ? ''