five o'clock in the
evening
`` Now , my dears , you must go to Shepherd 's Bush -- that is the place , and the only place where you can live within your means . My friend Constantia Warren has rooms there , and she says -- I have written to her , my loves -- she says if you will let her accompany you in your search she may be able to secure you a clean , respectable bedroom in a fairly good locality . Constantia is an excellent woman ; she is fifty , and plain in her tastes , and has no nonsense about her . She has promised me , for my sake , to accompany you to church in the evenings , and to see that you wear your veils down when you go out , and that you are back in your bedroom -- you ca n't afford a sitting-room , so do n't think of it -- that you are back in your bedroom by five o'clock in the evening , as all girls who have any idea of what is correct and proper are of course in by that hour in London . Now , my dears , Constantia will be a sort of protectress to you three , and I had better write to her at once . My dears , it is a relief to me to know you will be near Constantia , for London is a pit -- a pit , and a snare . '' Miss Martineau had talked herself quite out of breath , and looked quite pleading , but the same obstacle which had prevented the girls ' acceding to Mrs. Ellsworthy 's request now debarred their taking up their quarters near Constantia Warren .