twenty minutes to eight
A few young men , wearing bright blue badges in their coats , stood idle in the vestibule ; none of them wore evening dress . She passed by with her daughter and a quick glance through the open door of the hall showed her the cause of the stewards ' idleness . At first she wondered had she mistaken the hour . No , it was twenty minutes to eight . In the dressing-room behind the stage she was introduced to the secretary of the Society , Mr Fitzpatrick . She smiled and shook his hand . He was a little man , with a white vacant face .