a quarter to eight
`` Your mother and I must see what 's to be done with you . Do n't I understand , indeed ? '' The conceit was fairly taken out of me now . To be called a little boy was bad enough ; to be referred to as a child was even worse ; but to be sent to bed at a quarter to eight on a summer evening was the crowning stroke . Certainly , Plummer 's itself was better than this . What my mother and guardian said to one another I do not know . My mother , I think , had great faith in Mr Girdler 's wisdom ; and although she tried not to think ill of me , would probably feel that he knew better than she did .