about a quarter to eleven o'clock
_ '' Harold stared and stared at this inscription . He read it forwards , backwards , crossways , and in every other way , but absolutely without result . At last , wearied out with misery of mind and the pursuit of a futile occupation , he dropped off sound asleep in his chair . This happened about a quarter to eleven o'clock . The next thing he knew was that he suddenly woke up ; woke up completely , passing as quickly from a condition of deep sleep to one of wakefulness as though he had never shut his eyes . He used to say afterwards that he felt as though somebody had come and aroused him ; it was not like a natural waking . Indeed , so unaccustomed was the sensation , that for a moment the idea flashed through his brain that he had died in his sleep , and was now awakening to a new state of existence .