midnight
Amid laughter and protests -- for the big man 's hobbies were well known to the club -- two of them sprang up in mock terror , and headed for the door . They indicated that they had promised each other to play billiards and dared not break the engagement . `` I could n't stay to the end , anyway , Peter , '' explained one , from the door . `` My wife sits up when I 'm out after midnight . Meet me here for breakfast some bank-holiday , and we 'll give the day to it . '' Maginnis , who never got over feeling disappointed when he saw his audience slipping away from him , sighed , searched through his frowzy pockets for a match , lit his pipe , and fell upon a lounge near to all the society that was left him . `` Why were n't you up ? ''