the hour of seven in the evening
He had been losing immensely for the past month . This morning he had received a cable message , telling him the crash had come . He was irretrievably , past all hope of redemption , ruined . All this Charley told in his quietest voice , looking out through the great bay window at the bustle and whirl of fashionable London life , at the hour of seven in the evening . Captain Hammond , smoking a cigar , listened in gloomy silence , feeling particularly uncomfortable , and not knowing in the least what to say . He took out his cheroot and spoke at last . `` It 's a deuced bad state of affairs , Charley .