midnight
She was . This day , because it was the first day of her French frock , she regarded as her debut in the dizzy life of capitals . She existed in a rapture of bliss , an ecstasy which could feel no fatigue , either of body or spirit . It was after midnight when they went into the Restaurant Sylvain ; Gerald , having decided not to go to the hotel , had changed his mind and called there , and having called there , had remained a long time : this of course ! Sophia was already accustoming herself to the idea that , with Gerald , it was impossible to predict accurately more than five minutes of the future . As the chasseur held open the door for them to enter , and Sophia passed modestly into the glowing yellow interior of the restaurant , followed by Gerald in his character of man-of-the-world , they drew the attention of Sylvain 's numerous and glittering guests . No face could have made a more provocative contrast to the women 's faces in those screened rooms than the face of Sophia , so childlike between the baby 's bonnet and the huge bow of ribbon , so candid , so charmingly conscious of its own pure beauty and of the fact that she was no longer a virgin , but the equal in knowledge of any woman alive .