midnight
He was an Argentinian ; and thereupon , the entire chorus interested itself in the grandeur of his country and all the nations of South America where they had agencies or investments -- exaggerating its importance as though its petty republics were great powers , commenting with gravity upon the deeds and words of its political leaders and giving him to understand that in Germany there was no one who was not concerned about the future of South America , predicting for all its divisions most glorious prosperity -- a reflex of the Empire , always , provided , of course , that they kept under Germanic influence . In spite of these flatteries , Desnoyers was no longer presenting himself with his former assiduity at the hour of poker . The Counsellor 's wife was retiring to her stateroom earlier than usual -- their approach to the Equator inducing such an irresistible desire for sleep , that she had to abandon her husband to his card playing . Julio also had mysterious occupations which prevented his appearance on deck until after midnight . With the precipitation of a man who desires to be seen in order to avoid suspicion , he was accustomed to enter the smoking room talking loudly as he seated himself near the husband and his boon companions . The game had ended , and an orgy of beer and fat cigars from Hamburg was celebrating the success of the winners . It was the hour of Teutonic expansion , of intimacy among men , of heavy , sluggish jokes , of off-color stories .