nine o'clock
Tabs had dressed himself with more than ordinary care . He was rather amused at his self-consciousness in having done so , and a little disdainful of it . Yet he knew that in the winning of a woman the strategy of clothes has its value ; he had no intention of losing a trick by negligence . It was nine o'clock when he sat down to breakfast ; within two hours he would be seeing Terry . It was a gay morning , lacquered with sunshine ; bustling breezes made young leaves of trees in the little Square murmurous . Ever since he had wakened he had been listening to the gossiping chirp of congregated sparrows and the rolling boom of tumultuous traffic . At intervals across the upland of roofs there had drifted to him the far-blown chime of bells and the slower music of clocks striking .