a quarter after nine
Approaching footsteps caused him to draw back deeper into his own and a moment later his promised breakfast appeared , carried on a big Company _ keyakun _ , by an old Indian woman -- undoubtedly the woman that Marge had told him about . She placed the huge plate on his table and withdrew without either looking at him or uttering a sound . He ate hurriedly , and finished dressing himself after that . It was a quarter after nine when he went into the hall . In passing Marge 's door he knocked . There came no response from within . He turned and passed through the big room in which he had seen so many unfriendly faces the night before .