nearly midnight
His forgiveness was brushed aside . Time was pressing . Tabs forced him to the point without further ceremony or waste of words . `` When you phoned yesterday evening it was nearly midnight , so the matter must have seemed urgent . You said that General Braithwaite had been to see you on a fool 's errand , with a story that partly concerned myself . May I ask how it concerned me ? '' `` You 're brusque , very brusque , '' Sir Tobias complained .