Two o'clock
He had no idea whether they kept early hours at Blandings Castle or not , but he deemed it prudent to give the household another hour in which to settle down . After which he would just trot down and collect the scarab . The novel he had brought down with him from London fortunately proved interesting . Two o'clock came before he was ready for it . He slipped the book into his pocket and opened the door . All was still -- still and uncommonly dark . Along the corridor on which his room was situated the snores of sleeping domestics exploded , growled and twittered in the air .