About three o'clock
He had become my Christian hero : under that character I wanted to view him . Nor was opportunity slow to favour ; my new impressions underwent her test the next day . Yes : I was granted an interview with my `` Christian hero '' -- an interview not very heroic , or sentimental , or biblical , but lively enough in its way . About three o'clock of the afternoon , the peace of the first classe -- safely established , as it seemed , under the serene sway of Madame Beck , who , _ in propriâ personâ _ was giving one of her orderly and useful lessons -- this peace , I say , suffered a sudden fracture by the wild inburst of a paletôt . Nobody at the moment was quieter than myself . Eased of responsibility by Madame Beck 's presence , soothed by her uniform tones , pleased and edified with her clear exposition of the subject in hand -LRB- for she taught well -RRB- , I sat bent over my desk , drawing -- that is , copying an elaborate line engraving , tediously working up my copy to the finish of the original , for that was my practical notion of art ; and , strange to say , I took extreme pleasure in the labour , and could even produce curiously finical Chinese facsimiles of steel or mezzotint plates -- things about as valuable as so many achievements in worsted-work , but I thought pretty well of them in those days . What was the matter ?