half past eleven
The car had left the garage at nine-fifty . Mr. Prohack went out for a walk , not ostensibly , but really , to look for the car in the streets of London ! -LRB- Such was his diseased mentality . -RRB- He returned at half past eleven , and at eleven thirty-two the car arrived . Immediately Mr. Prohack became calm ; his exterior was apt to be very deceptive ; and he said gently to Carthew , just as if nothing in the least unusual had occurred : `` A little late , are n't you ? '' `` Yes , sir , '' Carthew replied , with a calmness to match his employer 's . `` As I was coming here from the garage I met the mistress .