seven o'clock precisely
So they went together ; Samuel used to attend property sales , but he had never taken his wife to one . Constance and Cyril arrived at the Tiger shortly after seven o'clock , and were directed to a room furnished and arranged as for a small public meeting of philanthropists . A few gentlemen were already present , but not the instigating trustees , solicitors , and auctioneers . It appeared that ` six-thirty for seven o'clock precisely ' meant seven-fifteen . Constance took a Windsor chair in the corner nearest the door , and motioned Cyril to the next chair ; they dared not speak ; they moved on tiptoe ; Cyril inadvertently dragged his chair along the floor , and produced a scrunching sound ; he blushed , as though he had desecrated a church , and his mother made a gesture of horror . The remainder of the company glanced at the corner , apparently pained by this negligence . Some of them greeted Constance , but self-consciously , with a sort of shamed air ; it might have been that they had all nefariously gathered together there for the committing of a crime .