twenty past twelve
I hesitated a moment with a distinct sense of wrong-doing , before I opened the door with the air of one who defies his own conscience , and passed up the avenue between the gouty espaliers -- fine old veterans they were , and as I could see , now , loaded with splendid fruit . The iron gates that led out into the Park were locked , but a gardener -- the head gardener , I suppose -- came out of one of the greenhouses close at hand , and let me through . I began to hurry , then . It was already twenty past twelve , and lunch was at half-past one . Just what I proposed to do , or whom I expected to see , at the Home Farm , I had no idea ; but I was suddenly determined to get there and back before lunch . The walk would not take me more than a quarter of an hour each way , but , for no reason that I could explain , the balance of half an hour or so that remained to me appeared far too short . I remember that as I walked through the wood , I persuaded myself that I wanted to see Arthur Banks , who , according to my neat and convincing theory , had taken up his work again and was , therefore , probably at the Hall .