six o'clock
Old Hornblow had long perceived the growing attachment between his daughter and McElvina ; and the faithful and valuable services of the latter , added to the high opinion which the old man had of his honesty -- which , to do McElvina justice , had been most scrupulous -- had determined him to let things take their own course . Indeed , there was no one with whom old Hornblow was acquainted to whom he would have entrusted his daughter 's happiness with so much confidence as to our reformed captain . A sharp double tap at the street door announced the post , and in a few minutes after this conversation the clerk appeared with a letter for old Hornblow , who , pursuant to the prudent custom of those days , had his counting-house on the ground floor of his own residence , which enabled him to go to his dinner , and return to his business in the evening . Nowadays we are all above our business , and live above our means -LRB- which is in itself sufficient to account for the general distress that is complained of -RRB- ; and the counting-house is deserted before dusk , that we may arrive at our residences in Russell-square , or the Regent 's - park , in time to dress for a turtle dinner at six o'clock , instead of a mutton chop , or single joint , _ en famille _ , at two . But to return . Old Hornblow put on his spectacles -LRB- which were on the table since they had been removed from his nose by Susan when she kissed him -RRB- , and examined the post-mark , seal , and superscription , as if he wished to tax his ingenuity with a guess previously to opening the letter , which would have saved him all that trouble , and have decided the point of scrutiny -- viz. , from whom it came ? `` McElvina , I rather think , '' said he , musing ; `` but the postmark is Plymouth .