eight o'clock
`` Pray , sir , be explicit : we are near friends of Mr. Marston ; in fact , sir , this is his son , '' said Doctor Danvers , pointing to Charles Marston ; `` and we are both uneasy at the reserve with which our inquiries have been met . Do , I entreat of you , say what has happened ? '' `` Why -- why , '' hesitated the man , `` I really -- I would not for five hundred pounds it had happened in my house . The -- the unhappy gentleman has , in short -- '' He glanced at Charles , as if afraid of the effect of the disclosure he was on the point of making , and then hurriedly said -- `` He is dead , sir ; he was found dead in his room , this morning , at eight o'clock . I assure you I have not been myself ever since . '' Charles Marston was so stunned by this sudden blow , that he was upon the point of fainting . Rallying , however , with a strong effort , he demanded to be conducted to the chamber where the body lay .