about eleven o’clock
he inquired . The young man confessed his whim to know if his own antiquity would bear comparison with that of another person , whose name he did not mention ; whereupon his father gave him a key that would fit the said chest , if he meant to pursue the subject further . Somerset , however , did nothing in the matter that day , but the next morning , having to call at the bank on other business , he remembered his new fancy . It was about eleven o'clock . The fog , though not so brown as it had been on previous days , was still dense enough to necessitate lights in the shops and offices . When Somerset had finished his business in the outer office of the bank he went to the manager 's room . The hour being somewhat early the only persons present in that sanctuary of balances , besides the manager who welcomed him , were two gentlemen , apparently lawyers , who sat talking earnestly over a box of papers .