five o'clock
What _ has _ happened ? Are you ill ? '' Thus driven into a direct lie , I said that the sun had been a little too much for me . It was close upon five o'clock of a cloudy April afternoon , and the sun had been hidden all day . I saw my mistake as soon as the words were out of my mouth : attempted to recover it ; blundered hopelessly and followed Kitty in a regal rage , out of doors , amid the smiles of my acquaintances . I made some excuse -LRB- I have forgotten what -RRB- on the score of my feeling faint ; and cantered away to my hotel , leaving Kitty to finish the ride by herself . In my room I sat down and tried calmly to reason out the matter .