midnight
`` After you , my friend . I said ` lead the way . ' '' They mounted to the third floor of the restaurant . The room which they had just quitted was used as an auxiliary dining and supper-room before midnight , as Kerry knew . After midnight the centre table was unmasked , and from thence onward to dawn , sometimes , was surrounded by roulette players . The third floor he had never visited , but he had a shrewd idea that it was not entirely reserved for the private use of the proprietor . A babel of voices died away as the two men walked into a room rather smaller than that below and furnished with little tables , cafe fashion .