nine o'clock
If not joy , hope had come in the morning ; and , at any rate , he could be up and be doing , for the late wintry light was stealing down the hill-side , and he knew that , although Coulson lay motionless in his sleep , it was past their usual time of rising . Still , as it was new year 's Day , a time of some licence , Philip had mercy on his fellow-shopman , and did not waken him till just as he was leaving the room . Carrying his shoes in his hand , he went softly downstairs for he could see from the top of the flight that neither Alice nor her daughter was down yet , as the kitchen shutters were not unclosed . It was Mrs. Rose 's habit to rise early , and have all bright and clean against her lodgers came down ; but then , in general , she went to rest before nine o'clock , whereas the last night she had not gone till past twelve . Philip went about undoing the shutters , and trying to break up the raking coal , with as little noise as might be , for he had compassion on the tired sleepers . The kettle had not been filled , probably because Mrs. Rose had been unable to face the storm of the night before , in taking it to the pump just at the entrance of the court . When Philip came back from filling it , he found Alice and Hester both in the kitchen , and trying to make up for lost time by hastening over their work .