seven o'clock
He had paced to and fro for an hour now , but not a trace of her had he seen ; nor did even a light burn in her room when darkness fell . A fear lest she should have already gone away , beset him again , and got the upper hand of him ; and wild schemes flitted through his mind . He would mount the stairs , and ring the door-bell , on some pretext or other , to learn whether she was still there ; and his foot was on the lowest stair , when his courage failed him , and he turned back . But the idea had taken root ; he could not bear much longer the uncertainty he was in ; and so , towards seven o'clock , when he had hung about for three hours , and there was still no sign of life in her room , he went boldly up the broad , winding stair and rang the bell . When the door was opened , he would find something to say . The bell , which he had pulled hard , pealed through the house , jangled on , and , in a series of after-tinkles , died away . There was no immediate answering sound ; the silence persisted , and having waited for some time , he rang again .