five o'clock
Your friend is very good to assk me , and I am , `` Yr loving , `` Cuckoo . '' Valentine read the letter without comment and ordered an elaborate tea . Julian read it , and wondered whether he was a fool because he felt touched by the misspelt words , as he had sometimes felt touched when he saw some very poor woman attired in her ridiculous `` best '' clothes . The tea-time had been fixed for five o'clock , and Julian intended , of course , to be in Victoria Street with Valentine to receive the expected guest , but Cuckoo Bright threw his polite plans out of gear , and Valentine was alone when , at half-past four , the electric bell rang , and , a moment later , Wade solemnly showed into the drawing-room a striking vision , such as had never `` burst into that silent sea '' of artistic repose and refinement before . The lady undoubtedly wore what seemed to be her one hat , and the effect of it , at all times remarkable , was amazingly heightened by its proximity to the quiet and beautiful surroundings of the room . As a rule , it merely cried out . Now it seemed absolutely to yell bank-holiday vulgarity and impropriety at the silent pictures .