twelve o'clock
He then gently touched her hand with his , showing her plainly that he was not only alive , but conscious . She then offered him food , -- the thin porridge , -- which he was wont to take , and the medicine . She offered him some wine too , but he would take nothing . At twelve o'clock a letter was brought to her , which had come by the post . She saw that it was from Alice , and opening it found that it was very long . At that moment she could not read it , but she saw words in it that made her wish to know its contents as quickly as possible . But she could not leave her grandfather then .