about ten o'clock
He played a little on the piano . Sometimes he would sit down at the piano , play a chord or two , and begin singing softly : `` What does the coming day bring to me ? '' But at once , as though afraid , he would get up and walk from the piano . The visitors usually arrived about ten o'clock . They played cards in Orlov 's study , and Polya and I handed them tea . It was only on these occasions that I could gauge the full sweetness of a flunkey 's life . Standing for four or five hours at the door , watching that no one 's glass should be empty , changing the ash-trays , running to the table to pick up the chalk or a card when it was dropped , and , above all , standing , waiting , being attentive without venturing to speak , to cough , to smile -- is harder , I assure you , is harder than the hardest of field labour .