one o'clock in the morning before
At least , its hospitality is noisy during the waking and working hours of the day ; but there are moments when it has an almost cloistral peace , and the customer , abashed by the cold calm of its snowy marble and the silent gravity of the white-robed attendants , unconsciously lowers his voice and tries to keep his feet from shuffling , like one in a temple . The members of the chorus of `` The Rose of America , '' dropping in by ones and twos at six o'clock in the morning about two weeks after the events recorded in the last chapter , spoke in whispers and gave their orders for breakfast in a subdued undertone . The dress-rehearsal had just dragged its weary length to a close . It is the custom of the dwellers in Atlantic City , who seem to live entirely by pleasure , to attend a species of vaudeville performances -- incorrectly termed a sacred concert -- on Sunday nights , and it had been one o'clock in the morning before the concert scenery could be moved out of the theatre and the first act set of `` The Rose of America '' moved in . And , as by some unwritten law of the drama no dress-rehearsal can begin without a delay of at least an hour and a half , the curtain had not gone up on Mr. Miller 's opening chorus till half-past two . There had been dress-parades , conferences , interminable arguments between the stage-director and a mysterious man in shirt-sleeves about the lights , more dress-parades , further conferences , hitches with regard to the sets , and another outbreak of debate on the subject of blues , ambers , and the management of the `` spot , '' which was worked by a plaintive voice , answering to the name of Charlie , at the back of the family circle . But by six o'clock a complete , if ragged , performance had been given , and the chorus , who had partaken of no nourishment since dinner on the previous night , had limped off round the corner for a bite of breakfast before going to bed .