nearly two o'clock
Magnus soon afterward retired . Osterman found an excuse for going to bed , but Annixter and Harran remained in the latter 's room , in a haze of blue tobacco smoke , talking , talking . But at length , at the end of all argument , Annixter got up , remarking : `` Well , I 'm going to turn in . It 's nearly two o'clock . '' He went to his room , closing the door , and Harran , opening his window to clear out the tobacco smoke , looked out for a moment across the country toward the south . The darkness was profound , impenetrable ; the rain fell with an uninterrupted roar . Near at hand one could hear the sound of dripping eaves and foliage and the eager , sucking sound of the drinking earth , and abruptly while Harran stood looking out , one hand upon the upraised sash , a great puff of the outside air invaded the room , odourous with the reek of the soaking earth , redolent with fertility , pungent , heavy , tepid .