nearly midnight
I had more acquaintance with almost every great city on the Continent . Fortunately , Tardif had given me the address of a boarding-house , or rather a small family hotel , where he had stayed two or three times , and I drove there at once . It was in a quiet back street , within sound of St. Paul 's clock . The hour was so late , nearly midnight , that I was looked upon with suspicion , as a young woman travelling alone , and with little luggage . It was only when I mentioned Tardif , whose island bearing had made him noticeable among the stream of strangers passing through the house , that the mistress of the place consented to take me in . This was my first difficulty , but not the last . By the advice of the mistress of the boarding-house , I went to several governess agencies , which were advertising for teachers in the daily papers .