five minutes to twelve
Little by little , he became so interested in putting me right that he forgot to fidget in the bed . His mind was far away from the question of the opium , at the all-important time when his eyes first told me that the opium was beginning to lay its hold on his brain . I looked at my watch . It wanted five minutes to twelve , when the premonitory symptoms of the working of the laudanum first showed themselves to me . At this time , no unpractised eyes would have detected any change in him . But , as the minutes of the new morning wore away , the swiftly-subtle progress of the influence began to show itself more plainly . The sublime intoxication of opium gleamed in his eyes ; the dew of a stealthy perspiration began to glisten on his face .