two o'clock
Madeleine tried to escape , but was stopped by the Princess , who addressed her across the President and in a decided tone asked her to sit precisely there . Mrs. Lee looked timidly at her neighbour , who made no sign , but ate his supper in silence only broken by an occasional reply to a rare remark . Mrs. Lee pitied him , and wondered what his wife would say when they reached home . She caught Ratcliffe 's eye down the table , watching her with a smile ; she tried to talk fluently with Dunbeg ; but not until supper was long over and two o'clock was at hand ; not until the Presidential party , under all the proper formalities , had taken their leave of the Grand-ducal party ; not until Lord Skye had escorted them to their carriage and returned to say that they were gone , did the Princess loose her hold upon Mrs. Lee and allow her to slip away into obscurity . Meanwhile the ball had gone on after the manner of balls . As Madeleine sat in her enforced grandeur she could watch all that passed . She had seen Sybil whirling about with one man after another , amid a swarm of dancers , enjoying herself to the utmost and occasionally giving a nod and a smile to her sister as their eyes met .