one o'clock
` Why , at one time o ' day , ' said Crass , ` only a few years ago , if you went to a gentleman 's ` ouse to paint one or two rooms you could always be sure of a bob or two when you 'd finished . ' By half past twelve everything was squared up , and , having loaded up the hand-cart with all that remained of the materials , dirty paint-pots and plant , they all set out together for the yard , to put all the things away before going to the office for their money . Sawkins took the handle of the cart , Slyme and Crass walked at one side and Owen and Bert at the other . There was no need to push , for the road was downhill most of the way ; so much so that they had all to help to hold back the cart , which travelled so rapidly that Bert found it difficult to keep pace with the others and frequently broke into a trot to recover lost ground , and Crass -- being fleshy and bloated with beer , besides being unused to much exertion -- began to perspire and soon appealed to the others not to let it go so fast -- there was no need to get done before one o'clock . The March of the Imperialists It was an unusually fine day for the time of year , and as they passed along the Grand Parade -- which faced due south -- they felt quite warm . The Parade was crowded with richly dressed and bejewelled loafers , whose countenances in many instances bore unmistakable signs of drunkenness and gluttony . Some of the females had tried to conceal the ravages of vice and dissipation by coating their faces with powder and paint .