about three o'clock in the afternoon
-LSB- Dorothy and Roger embrace each other , if they can do it without causing a scandal in the neighbourhood , and the curtain goes down . The scene is a drawing-room -LRB- in which the men are allowed to smoke -- or a smoking-room in which the women are allowed to draw -- it does n't much matter -RRB- in the house of somebody or other in the country . George Turnbull and his old College friend , Henry Peterson , are confiding in each other , as old friends will , over their whiskies and cigars . It is about three o'clock in the afternoon . George -LRB- dreamily helping himself to a stiff soda -RRB- . Henry , do you remember that evening at Christ Church College , Oxford , five years ago , when we opened our hearts to each other ... Henry -LRB- lighting a cigar and hiding it in a fern-pot -RRB- . That moonlight evening on the Backs , George , when I had failed in my Matriculation examination ?