five in the afternoon
By these he was conducted to the same room where he had been first examined . Neither of the officers who had then been there was present , but an elderly man sat at the centre of the table . `` Godfrey Bullen , '' he said , `` a careful investigation has been made into your antecedents , and with one exception , and that not , for various reasons , an important one , we have received a good report of you . Ivan Petrovytch tells us that you work in his office from breakfast-time till five in the afternoon , and that your evenings are at your own disposal , but that you generally dine with him . He gave us the names of the families with which you are acquainted , and where , as he understood , you spend your evenings when you are not at the Skating Club , where you generally go on Tuesdays and Fridays at least . We learn that you did spend your evenings with these families , and we have learned at the club that you are a regular attendant there two or three times a week , and that your general associates are : '' and he read out a list which included , to Godfrey 's surprise , the names of every one of his acquaintances there . `` Therefore we have been forced to come to the conclusion that your story , incredible as it appeared , is a true one .