nine o’clock
Too long had this Rasselas -- occupied , like the famous Prince of Abyssinia , with _ the choice of life _ -- neglected to resort to his academic Imlac . In the meantime he could only reflect that Margaret must remain as a pupil at Miss Marlett 's . The moment would soon be arriving when some other home , and a chaperon instead of a school-mistress , must be found for this peculiar object of philanthropy and outdoor relief . Maitland was sorry he had not left town by the nine o'clock train . The early dusk began to gather , gray and damp ; the train was late , having made tardy progress through the half-melted snow . He had set out from Paddington by the half-past ten express , and a glance at the harsh and crabbed page of Bradshaw will prove to the most sceptical that Maitland could not reach Tiverton much before six . Half frozen , and in anything but a happy temper , he engaged a fly , and drove off , along heavy miserable roads , to the Dovecot .