eight o’clock
It so happened , however , that the letter could never be written . Although they applied themselves to it with the best intentions in the world , it chanced that they always fell to talking about something else , and when Nicholas tried it by himself , he found it impossible to write one-half of what he wished to say , or to pen anything , indeed , which on reperusal did not appear cold and unsatisfactory compared with what he had in his mind . At last , after going on thus from day to day , and reproaching himself more and more , he resolved -LRB- the more readily as Madeline strongly urged him -RRB- to make a hasty trip into Yorkshire , and present himself before Mr. and Mrs. Browdie without a word of notice . Thus it was that between seven and eight o'clock one evening , he and Kate found themselves in the Saracen 's Head booking-office , securing a place to Greta Bridge by the next morning 's coach . They had to go westward , to procure some little necessaries for his journey , and , as it was a fine night , they agreed to walk there , and ride home . The place they had just been in called up so many recollections , and Kate had so many anecdotes of Madeline , and Nicholas so many anecdotes of Frank , and each was so interested in what the other said , and both were so happy and confiding , and had so much to talk about , that it was not until they had plunged for a full half-hour into that labyrinth of streets which lies between Seven Dials and Soho , without emerging into any large thoroughfare , that Nicholas began to think it just possible they might have lost their way . The possibility was soon converted into a certainty ; for , on looking about , and walking first to one end of the street and then to the other , he could find no landmark he could recognise , and was fain to turn back again in quest of some place at which he could seek a direction .