seven o’clock in the evening
Then there was Miss La Creevy , who had come out in the omnibus to stop a day or two and help , and who was perpetually losing a very small brown-paper parcel of tin tacks and a very large hammer , and running about with her sleeves tucked up at the wrists , and falling off pairs of steps and hurting herself very much -- and Mrs. Nickleby , who talked incessantly , and did something now and then , but not often -- and Kate , who busied herself noiselessly everywhere , and was pleased with everything -- and Smike , who made the garden a perfect wonder to look upon -- and Nicholas , who helped and encouraged them every one -- all the peace and cheerfulness of home restored , with such new zest imparted to every frugal pleasure , and such delight to every hour of meeting , as misfortune and separation alone could give ! In short , the poor Nicklebys were social and happy ; while the rich Nickleby was alone and miserable . Private and confidential ; relating to Family Matters . Showing how Mr Kenwigs underwent violent Agitation , and how Mrs. Kenwigs was as well as could be expected It might have been seven o'clock in the evening , and it was growing dark in the narrow streets near Golden Square , when Mr. Kenwigs sent out for a pair of the cheapest white kid gloves -- those at fourteen-pence -- and selecting the strongest , which happened to be the right-hand one , walked downstairs with an air of pomp and much excitement , and proceeded to muffle the knob of the street-door knocker therein . Having executed this task with great nicety , Mr. Kenwigs pulled the door to , after him , and just stepped across the road to try the effect from the opposite side of the street . Satisfied that nothing could possibly look better in its way , Mr. Kenwigs then stepped back again , and calling through the keyhole to Morleena to open the door , vanished into the house , and was seen no longer . Now , considered as an abstract circumstance , there was no more obvious cause or reason why Mr. Kenwigs should take the trouble of muffling this particular knocker , than there would have been for his muffling the knocker of any nobleman or gentleman resident ten miles off ; because , for the greater convenience of the numerous lodgers , the street-door always stood wide open , and the knocker was never used at all .