ten o'clock precisely
You 'll remember I 'll always do anything I can , wo n't you ? '' Then she was gone . The ladies went to bed early at Stantons . At ten o'clock precisely a clinking of bedroom candlesticks was heard in the hall , followed by the sound of locking doors . This was the signal . Mrs. Baxter laid aside her embroidery with the punctuality of a religious at the sound of a bell , and said two words -- `` My dears . '' There were occasionally exclamatory expostulations from the two at the piquet-table , but in nine cases out of ten the game had been designed with an eye upon the clock , and hardly any delay followed .