eleven
o'clock
Mr. Skimpole presently appeared , and Richard shortly after him . I was sufficiently engaged during the remainder of the evening in taking my first lesson in backgammon from Mr. Jarndyce , who was very fond of the game and from whom I wished of course to learn it as quickly as I could in order that I might be of the very small use of being able to play when he had no better adversary . But I thought , occasionally , when Mr. Skimpole played some fragments of his own compositions or when , both at the piano and the violoncello , and at our table , he preserved with an absence of all effort his delightful spirits and his easy flow of conversation , that Richard and I seemed to retain the transferred impression of having been arrested since dinner and that it was very curious altogether . It was late before we separated , for when Ada was going at eleven o'clock , Mr. Skimpole went to the piano and rattled hilariously that the best of all ways to lengthen our days was to steal a few hours from night , my dear ! It was past twelve before he took his candle and his radiant face out of the room , and I think he might have kept us there , if he had seen fit , until daybreak . Ada and Richard were lingering for a few moments by the fire , wondering whether Mrs. Jellyby had yet finished her dictation for the day , when Mr. Jarndyce , who had been out of the room , returned . `` Oh , dear me , what 's this , what 's this ! ''