ten o'clock
But it was only a flash . The courses succeeded one another solemnly , under the electric light , which glared down onto the table , but barely reached the principal ornament of the walls , a so-called ` Sea Piece by Turner , ' almost entirely composed of cordage and drowning men . Champagne was handed , and then a bottle of James ' prehistoric port , but as by the chill hand of some skeleton . At ten o'clock Soames left ; twice in reply to questions , he had said that Irene was not well ; he felt he could no longer trust himself . His mother kissed him with her large soft kiss , and he pressed her hand , a flush of warmth in his cheeks . He walked away in the cold wind , which whistled desolately round the corners of the streets , under a sky of clear steel-blue , alive with stars ; he noticed neither their frosty greeting , nor the crackle of the curled-up plane-leaves , nor the night-women hurrying in their shabby furs , nor the pinched faces of vagabonds at street corners . Winter was come !