eleven o’clock
It cost me five-and-twenty shillings . I bought it soon after we were cool to each other . Do n't mention it , but it 's the most extraordinary accidental likeness you ever saw -- her very portrait , sir ! ' By this time it was past eleven o'clock ; and Tim Linkinwater 's sister declaring that she ought to have been at home a full hour ago , a coach was procured , into which she was handed with great ceremony by brother Ned , while brother Charles imparted the fullest directions to the coachman , and besides paying the man a shilling over and above his fare , in order that he might take the utmost care of the lady , all but choked him with a glass of spirits of uncommon strength , and then nearly knocked all the breath out of his body in his energetic endeavours to knock it in again . At length the coach rumbled off , and Tim Linkinwater 's sister being now fairly on her way home , Nicholas and Tim Linkinwater 's friend took their leaves together , and left old Tim and the worthy brothers to their repose . As Nicholas had some distance to walk , it was considerably past midnight by the time he reached home , where he found his mother and Smike sitting up to receive him . It was long after their usual hour of retiring , and they had expected him , at the very latest , two hours ago ; but the time had not hung heavily on their hands , for Mrs. Nickleby had entertained Smike with a genealogical account of her family by the mother 's side , comprising biographical sketches of the principal members , and Smike had sat wondering what it was all about , and whether it was learnt from a book , or said out of Mrs. Nickleby 's own head ; so that they got on together very pleasantly .