ten o'clock
He felt miserable ; the state of uncertainty in which he was , caused him to be depressed . Still he could not imagine that the letter would contain anything contrary to his hopes . The idea was so far from his wishes that he shook it away at once ; he could not even bear to think of it . But the postman came not , and it was now ten o'clock . He remembered with pain that the day before he had passed by at half-past nine . `` I must attend to my work , '' he thought , `` he will come presently . '' He went about the greenhouse , watering his plants , but every other minute he opened the door and anxiously watched for the bringer of good news to put in an appearance .