"It is not really late, only we keep such absurdly early hours, and are so quiet, as we know nobody here, that a knock at the door in the evening makes us all jump.

Pray come in," and she threw open the door into the sitting-room, where the lamps had already been put out, and the light of a blazing hickory log made long flickering shadows on the crimson carpet.

In this dancing light, the room looked still more like a grove than it had to Marty at high noon.
Stephen's eyes fastened hungrily on the sight.
"Your room is almost too much to resist," he said; "but I will not come in now.

I did not know it was so late.

My mother wishes to know if you and your mother will not come in and eat a Christmas dinner with us to-morrow.
We live in the plainest way, and cannot entertain in the ordinary acceptation of the term.