about five o'clock
This self-reproof had recurred strongly to Adam 's mind when he gathered from Dinah 's face that he had wounded her by referring to his wish that she had accepted Seth , and so he had endeavoured to put into the strongest words his confidence in her decision as right -- his resignation even to her going away from them and ceasing to make part of their life otherwise than by living in their thoughts , if that separation were chosen by herself . He felt sure she knew quite well enough how much he cared to see her continually -- to talk to her with the silent consciousness of a mutual great remembrance . It was not possible she should hear anything but self-renouncing affection and respect in his assurance that he was contented for her to go away ; and yet there remained an uneasy feeling in his mind that he had not said quite the right thing -- that , somehow , Dinah had not understood him . Dinah must have risen a little before the sun the next morning , for she was downstairs about five o'clock . So was Seth , for , through Lisbeth 's obstinate refusal to have any woman-helper in the house , he had learned to make himself , as Adam said , `` very handy in the housework , '' that he might save his mother from too great weariness ; on which ground I hope you will not think him unmanly , any more than you can have thought the gallant Colonel Bath unmanly when he made the gruel for his invalid sister . Adam , who had sat up late at his writing , was still asleep , and was not likely , Seth said , to be down till breakfast-time . Often as Dinah had visited Lisbeth during the last eighteen months , she had never slept in the cottage since that night after Thias 's death , when , you remember , Lisbeth praised her deft movements and even gave a modified approval to her porridge .