one o'clock
Their gossip was all of the disappointed ones , and their bitterness and heartburning . Mrs. Devon 's mansion was thrown open early on the eventful evening , but few would come until midnight . It was the fashion to attend the Opera first , and previous to that half a dozen people would give big dinners . He was a fortunate person who did not hear from his liver after this occasion ; for at one o'clock came Mrs. Devon 's massive supper , and then again at four o'clock another supper . To prepare these repasts a dozen extra chefs had been imported into the Devon establishment for a week -- for it was part of the great lady 's pride to permit no outside caterer to prepare anything for her guests . Montague had never been able to get over his wonder at the social phenomenon known as Mrs. Devon . He came and took his chances in the jostling throngs ; and except that he got into casual conversation with one of the numerous detectives whom he took for a guest he came off fairly well .