ten minutes after one o'clock
The day was not far worn as yet ; and May month having come at last , the day could stand a good deal of wear . With Jordas burning to exhibit the wonders of the new machine -LRB- which had been bought upon his advice -RRB- , and with Marmaduke conscious of the new gloss on his coat , all previous times had been beaten -- as the sporting writers put it ; that is to say , all previous times of the journey from Scargate to Middleton , for any man who sat on wheels . A rider would take a shorter cut , and have many other advantages ; but for a driver the time had been the quickest upon record . Mr. Jellicorse , exulting in his safety , had imprinted the chaste salute upon his good wife 's cheek at ten minutes after one o'clock ; when the clerks in the office with laudable promptitude -LRB- not expecting him as yet -RRB- had unanimously cast down pen , and betaken hand and foot toward knife and fork . Instead of blaming them , this good lawyer went upon that same road himself , with the great advantage that the road to his dinner lay through his own kitchen . At dinner-time he had much to tell , and many large helps to receive , of interest and of admiration , especially from his pet child Emily -LRB- who forgot herself so largely as to lick her spoon while gazing -RRB- , and after dinner he was not without reasons for letting perhaps a little of the time slip by . Therefore , by the time he had described all dangers , discharged his duty to all comforts , and held the little confidential talk with his wife and himself above recorded , the clock had made its way to half past three .