It must be quite a quarter of an hour late, though, for it has struck eight some time.

I can hear it distinctly.

The station is three miles away, and you never hear the train unless the wind is in the east." "Come, Charles, not three miles--two miles and a half," put in Ralph.
"Well, two and a half from here down to the station, but certainly three from the station up here," replied Charles; and so silence was laboriously avoided by diligent small-talk until we returned to the drawing-room, thankful that there at least we could take up a book, and be silent if we wished.

We all did wish it, apparently.

Evelyn was sitting by a lamp when we came in, with a book before her, her elbow on the table, shading her face with a slender delicate hand.