two o'clock
Ivanov had never heard of him before . Mintz was clean-shaven and had long fair hair ; he wore steel-rimmed pince-nez over his cold grey eyes which he often took off and put on again ; when he did so his eyes changed , looking helpless and malicious without the glasses , like those of little owlets in daylight ; his thin , shaven lips were closely compressed , and there was often an expression of mistrust and decrepitude in his face ; his conversation and movements were noisy . Lydia Constantinovna had arrived with Mintz the day before at dusk ; Ivanov was not at home . They had gone for a walk in the evening , returning only at two o'clock when dawn was just about to break , and a cold mist hung over the earth like a soft grey veil . They were met by barking dogs which were quickly silenced by the lash of Ignat 's whip . Ivanov had come home earlier , at eleven o'clock , and sat by his study window alone , listening to the gentle sounds of night and the ceaseless hootings of the owls in the park . Lydia Constantinovna did not come to him , nor did he go in to her .