nine o'clock
He gave me a courteous `` good evening , '' and the other man , who had n't uttered a syllable the whole time , saluted me in silence . I heard one of them give an order to the guards outside , and then the heavy tramp of their feet descending the staircase . I started tidying up ; it would help to pass the time until I might expect some message from the Grand Duke . Mishka had said nine o'clock , and it was not yet seven . Presently there came a knock at my door . I wondered if this might be another police visitation ; but it was only one of the hotel servants to say a droshky driver was below , demanding to see me . He produced a dirty scrap of paper with my name and address scrawled on it , which the man had brought .