nine o'clock
and , calling up his courage , he dashed into the formidable circle of fair ones , and began chattering with one and another , calling by name with or without introduction , remembering things that never happened , with a freedom that was perfectly fascinating . `` Really , how handsome he has grown ! '' thought Susan ; and she colored deeply when once or twice the dark eyes of our hero made the same observation with regard to herself , in that quick , intelligible dialect which eyes alone can speak . And when the little party dispersed , as they did very punctually at nine o'clock , our hero requested of Miss Silence the honor of attending her home -- an evidence of discriminating taste which materially raised him in the estimation of that lady . It was true , to be sure , that Susan walked on the other side of him , her little white hand just within his arm ; and there was something in that light touch that puzzled him unaccountably , as might be inferred from the frequency with which Miss Silence was obliged to bring up the ends of conversation with , `` What did you say ? '' `` What were you going to say ? '' and other persevering forms of inquiry , with which a regular-trained matter-of-fact talker will hunt down a poor fellow-mortal who is in danger of sinking into a comfortable revery .