four o'clock in the afternoon
It went the whole length and width of the wardrobe door , and Ally could see herself in it from head to foot . And on the Vicar 's dressing-table there lay a large and perfect hand-glass that had belonged to Ally 's mother . Only by opening the wardrobe door and with the aid of the hand-glass could Ally obtain a satisfactory three-quarters view of her face and figure . Now , by the Vicar 's magnanimity , his daughters were allowed to use his bedroom twice in every two years , in the spring and in the autumn , for the purpose of trying on their new gowns ; but this year they were wearing out last winter 's gowns , and Ally had no business in the Vicar 's bedroom at four o'clock in the afternoon . She was turning slowly round and round , with her head tilted back over her left shoulder ; she had just caught sight of her little white nose as it appeared in a vanishing profile and was adjusting her head at another and still more interesting angle when the Vicar caught her . He was well in the middle of the room , and staring at her , before she was aware of him . The wardrobe door , flung wide open , had concealed his entrance , but if Ally had not been blinded and intoxicated with her own beauty she would have seen him before she began smiling , full-face first , then three-quarters , then sideways , a little tilted .