ten minutes past eleven
Most of the men were eating thick slices of fat bacon between a roll of bread cut in two . These sandwiches , the assistants ' usual supper , were supplied by a small shop a few doors off at twopence each . The soldier rolled in ; silently , rapidly , took off his clothes and threw himself into bed . At ten minutes past eleven the gas gave a big jump and five minutes later went out . The soldier went to sleep , but the others crowded round the big window in their pyjamas and night-shirts and , throwing remains of their sandwiches at the women who passed in the street below , shouted to them facetious remarks . The house opposite , six storeys high , was a workshop for Jewish tailors who left off work at eleven ; the rooms were brightly lit and there were no blinds to the windows . The sweater 's daughter -- the family consisted of father , mother , two small boys , and a girl of twenty -- went round the house to put out the lights when work was over , and sometimes she allowed herself to be made love to by one of the tailors .