twenty minutes to one
He was generous and kind-hearted , and believed that every young man must sow his crop of wild oats , and that he would be the better for it . But there was another and a deeper side to his character . In his sense of honor he was a counterpart of Colonel Newcome , and he had a vast amount of family pride ; a sin against that he could neither forget nor forgive , and he was relentless to the offender . It was twenty minutes to one when Victor Nevill mounted the stairs and opened his door , surprised to see that the gas was lighted in his rooms . If he was unpleasantly startled by the sight of his visitor , he masked his feelings successfully . `` My dear uncle , '' he cried , `` I am delighted to see you ! '' `` You dog ! ''