nine
o'clock
His earnings from the orchestra were not enough . He gave lessons . His talents as an instrumentalist , his good reputation , and , above all , the Prince 's patronage , brought him a numerous _ clientèle _ among the middle classes . Every morning from nine o'clock on he taught the piano to little girls , many of them older than himself , who frightened him horribly with their coquetry and maddened him with the clumsiness of their playing . They were absolutely stupid as far as music went , but , on the other hand , they had all , more or less , a keen sense of ridicule , and their mocking looks spared none of Jean-Christophe 's awkwardnesses . It was torture for him . Sitting by their side on the edge of his chair , stiff , and red in the face ; bursting with anger , and not daring to stir ; controlling himself so as not to say stupid things , and afraid of the sound of his own voice , so that he could hardly speak a word ; trying to look severe , and feeling that his pupil was looking at him out of the corner of her eye , he would lose countenance , grow confused in the middle of a remark ; fearing to make himself ridiculous , he would become so , and break out into violent reproach .