ten o'clock
In her curious way Marie liked Peter and respected him . She struggled with the technicalities of their talk as she sewed , finding here and there a comprehensive bit . At those times she sat , needle poised , intelligent eyes on the speakers , until she lost herself again in the mazes of their English . At ten o'clock she rose and put away her sewing . Peter saw her get the stone pitcher and knew she was on her way for the evening beer . He took advantage of her absence to broach the matter of Harmony . `` She 's up against it , as a matter of fact , '' he finished .