quarter after eleven
His wife was sleeping peacefully . He could feel the warmth of her body close against him ; her breath , drawn so lightly and regularly , just touched his face ; and he edged away cautiously , seeking space in which to turn without disturbing her . At immeasurably long periods the church clock chimed the quarters . That last chime must have been the quarter after eleven . Every now and then there came a sound that told him of the things that were happening on the ground floor ; and in the intervals of silence he began to suffer from an oppressive sense of unreality . This disruption of the routine of life was so strange as to seem incredible . They were making up the two big bags for the up mail and the down mail ; and he was lying here like a state prisoner , of no account for the time being , while below him his realm remained actively working .