nine o'clock
With a smothered yawn , she rose from her chair , and went over to the canary cage , raising the silk cover , while she put her lips to the wires and piped softly . `` Dicky is fast asleep , '' she remarked , turning away , `` and you , Ben , are nodding . How dull the evenings are when one has nothing to do . '' The next day I went to New York , and leaving Washington on Thursday afternoon , I had expected to reach Richmond in time to appear at Sally 's reception by nine o'clock that evening . But a wreck on the road caused the train to be held back for several hours , and it was already late when I jumped from the cab at my door , and hurried under the awning across the pavement . The sound of stringed instruments playing softly reached me as it had done so many years ago on the night when I first crossed the threshold ; and a minute afterwards , when I went hastily up the staircase , in its covering of white , and its festoons of smilax , pretty girls made way for me , with laughing reprimands on their lips . Dressing as quickly as I could , I came down again and met the same rebukes from the same charming and smiling faces .