seven o'clock in the evening
And if the manager of the gasworks had not already committed murder , it was because the manager of the gasworks had a right sense of what was due to his position as vicar 's churchwarden at St Peter 's Church . But greatness has its penalties . And the chief penalty of Mr Blackshaw 's greatness was that he could not see Roger have his nightly bath . It was impossible for Mr Blackshaw to quit his arduous and responsible post before seven o'clock in the evening . Later on , when things were going more smoothly , he might be able to get away ; but then , later on , his son 's bath would not be so amusing and agreeable as it then , by all reports , was . The baby was , of course , bathed on Saturday nights , but Sunday afternoon and evening Mr Blackshaw was obliged to spend with his invalid mother at Longshaw . It was on the sole condition of his weekly presence thus in her house that she had consented not to live with the married pair .