seven o'clock
Lord Nidderdale was , she thought , not at all beautiful . He had a common-place , rough face , with a turn-up nose , high cheek bones , no especial complexion , sandy-coloured whiskers , and bright laughing eyes , -- not at all an Adonis such as her imagination had painted . But if he had only made love at first as he had attempted to do it now , she thought that she would have submitted herself to be cut in pieces for him . While these things were being done in Bruton Street and Grosvenor Square horrid rumours were prevailing in the City and spreading from the City westwards to the House of Commons , which was sitting this Monday afternoon with a prospect of an adjournment at seven o'clock in consequence of the banquet to be given to the Emperor . It is difficult to explain the exact nature of this rumour , as it was not thoroughly understood by those who propagated it . But it is certainly the case that the word forgery was whispered by more than one pair of lips . Many of Melmotte 's staunchest supporters thought that he was very wrong not to show himself that day in the City .