seven
o'clock in the morning
He was the very creator of the house ; all its life flowed from him . Without him the organism would have ceased to exist , and everybody in it was quite aware of this . He had fully learnt his business . He had learnt it in the fishmarket on the beach at seven o'clock in the morning , and in the vegetable market at eight , and in the shops ; he had learnt it in the kitchen and on the stairs while the servants were cleaning ; and he had learnt it at the dinner-table surrounded by his customers . There was nothing that he did not know and , except actual cooking and mending , little that he could not do . He always impressed his customers by the statement that he had slept in every room in the house in order to understand personally its qualities and defects ; and he could and did in fact talk to each boarder about his room with the intimate geographical knowledge of a native . The boarders were further flattered by the mien and appearance of this practical housekeeper , who did not in the least resemble his kind , but had rather the style of a slightly doggish stockbroker .