nine o'clock
He thought it better that she should remind him of his intention to go ; that the call should be purely at her suggestion . The patience and silence with which he sat waiting for her to remember and speak of it were the very essence of deceit again , -- twice in this one hour an acted lie , of which his dulled conscience took no note or heed . Fine and impalpable as the meshes of the spider 's - web are the bands and bonds of a habit of concealment ; swift-growing , too , and in ever-widening circles , like the same glittering net woven for death . At last Mrs. White said , `` Steve , I think it 's getting near nine o'clock . You 'd better go in next door before it 's any later . '' Stephen pulled out his watch . By his own sensations , he would have said that it must be midnight .