ten o'clock
She inquired of Mrs. Nettlepoint if there were any one else -- if she were to be accompanied by some of her family ; and when our hostess mentioned her son -- there was a chance of his embarking but -LRB- was n't it absurd ? -RRB- he had not decided yet , she rejoined with extraordinary candour -- ` Oh dear , I do hope he 'll go : that would be so pleasant for Grace . ' Somehow the words made me think of poor Mr. Porterfield 's tartan , especially as Jasper Nettlepoint strolled in again at that moment . His mother instantly challenged him : it was ten o'clock ; had he by chance made up his great mind ? Apparently he failed to hear her , being in the first place surprised at the strange ladies and then struck with the fact that one of them was not strange . The young man , after a slight hesitation , greeted Miss Mavis with a handshake and an ` Oh , good evening , how do you do ? ' He did not utter her name , and I could see that he had forgotten it ; but she immediately pronounced his , availing herself of an American girl 's discretion to introduce him to her mother .