About ten o'clock
That long , quiet Sunday , when , I remember , the sun never came out all day , but the whole earth and sky melted together in a soft , grey haze ; when we lay on the common and heard church-bells ringing , some distant , some near ; and , after all was quiet , talked our own old sabbath talks , of this world and the world to come ; when , towards twilight , we went down into the beech-wood below the house , and sat idly there among the pleasant-smelling ferns ; when , from the morning to the evening , he devoted himself altogether to my comfort and amusement -- to perfect which required of him no harder duty than to be near me always ; -- that Sunday was the last I ever had David altogether for my own -- my very own . It was natural , it was just , it was right . God forbid that in any way I should have murmured . About ten o'clock -- just as he was luring me out to see how grand the common looked under the black night , and we were wondering whether or no the household were in bed -- Mrs. Tod came mysteriously into the parlour and shut the door after her . Her round , fresh face looked somewhat troubled . `` Mr. Halifax , might I speak a word to ` ee , sir ? '' `` With pleasure .