five in the afternoon
Mrs. Adair sat in front of her tea-table . Both women were waiting , and they were both listening for some particular sound to rise up from the street and penetrate into the room . The window stood open that they might hear it the more quickly . It was half-past five in the afternoon . June had come round again with the exhilaration of its sunlight , and London had sparkled into a city of pleasure and green trees . In the houses opposite , the windows were gay with flowers ; and in the street below , the carriages rolled easily towards the Park . A jingle of bells rose upwards suddenly and grew loud .