twenty minutes to
four
No attempts at singing , no noisy laughter ; they scarcely spoke to each other , but sat gloomily gazing out over the surrounding country . Instructions had been given to the drivers not to stop again till they reached the Queen Elizabeth , and they therefore drove past the World Turned Upside Down without stopping , much to the chagrin of the landlord of that house , who stood at the door with a sickly smile upon his face . Some of those who knew him shouted out that they would give him a call on their way back , and with this he had to be content . They reached the long-desired Queen Elizabeth at twenty minutes to four , and were immediately ushered into a large room where a round table and two long ones were set for dinner -- and they were set in a manner worthy of the reputation of the house . The cloths that covered the tables and the serviettes , arranged fanwise in the drinking glasses , were literally as white as snow , and about a dozen knives and forks and spoons were laid for each person . Down the centre of the table glasses of delicious yellow custard and cut-glass dishes of glistening red and golden jelly alternated with vases of sweet-smelling flowers . The floor of the dining-room was covered with oilcloth -- red flowers on a pale yellow ground ; the pattern was worn off in places , but it was all very clean and shining .