three minutes to twelve
How glorious was his opportunity , how limitless his possibilities , and how great to his own soul the satisfaction the years would bring of having done his best ! It had all changed now . That passionate longing to vindicate himself , add one thing honourable and fine to his own record , had altogether left him , and with the new mood came new insight and what had been an impulse centred to a purpose . It pointed to three minutes to twelve as he walked over to his desk , unfolded the contracts , and one by one affixed his signature . In a dim way he was conscious of how the interpretation of his first motive would be put upon it , how they would call him traitor and coward ; but that mattered little . The very fact that the man for whom he was doing it would never see it as it was brought him no pang . And when he had carefully blotted the papers , affixed the seal and put them away , there was in his heart the clean , sweet joy of a child because he had been able to do this for a man in whom he believed .