a quarter to ten
All the while Mrs. Golden 's canary trilled approval of the conversation . Una listened , numbed , while Walter kept doing absurd things with his face -- pinched his lips and tapped his teeth and rubbed his jaw as though he needed a shave . He took off his eye-glasses to wipe them and tied his thin legs in a knot , and all the while said , `` Yes , there 's certainly a great deal to that . '' At a quarter to ten Mrs. Golden rose , indulged in a little kitten yawn behind her silvery hand , and said : `` Well , I think I must be off to bed ... . I find these May days so languid . Do n't you , Mr. Babson ? Spring fever .