nearly ten o'clock
Four months ' use had not robbed memory of its poignancy , and the moment of arrival at the House she found unexpectedly painful . However , there came at once the remeeting with papa , and the first and worst hour of reconnection with the old life again was lubricated with reunion and much talk . Mr. Heth had been lonely and somewhat depressed during the summer , as his letters had revealed . But he was unaffectedly happy at having his wife and daughter back , and lingered over the breakfast-table till nearly ten o'clock , so much did he have to ask , and to tell , about the summer . Of that summer Carlisle never afterwards liked to talk . The first weeks of it always stood out in her mind as the most wretched period of her life . All spirit , all pluck , all dignity and self-respect appeared to have been crushed out by the disasters which had befallen her .