a quarter to one
The awaking of England on the morning of the twenty-sixth of November was like the awaking of a man from a nightmare . Everyone who slept had gone to sleep with one word humming in his brain -- war -- and war at home , that was the terrible thought which robbed so many millions of eyes of sleep . But even those who slept did not do so for long . At a quarter to one a sub-editor ran into the room of the chief News Editor of the _ Daily Telegraph _ , without even the ceremony of a knock . `` What on earth 's the matter , Johnson ? '' exclaimed the editor . `` Seen a ghost ? ''