ten o'clock
At five o'clock he had slipped out with the intention of dining at his club before any one else was there , but he had met Mrs. Wyndham in the street , and had spent his dinner-hour with her . At half-past six he had another appointment in his rooms , and it was not till nearly eleven that he was able to get away and look in upon the party , when he met Joe . For a week this kind of life would probably last , and then all would be over , in one way or another , but meanwhile the excitement was intense . On the next day Ronald came to see Joe before ten o'clock . The time hung heavily on his hands , and he found it impossible to occupy himself with his troubles . There were moments when the first impression of disappointment returned upon him very strongly , but he was conscious of a curious duplicity about his feelings , and he knew well enough in his inmost heart that he was only evoking a fictitious regret out of respect for what he thought he ought to feel . `` Tell me all about the people here , Joe , '' said he , sitting down beside her almost as though nothing had happened .