seven o'clock
He should see that an appointment with old Nicholson could not be allowed to interfere with their home life ; that , simply because they were married now , he could not neglect her with impunity . She practised the detached , casual sort of smile with which she would greet him , and the patient , uninterested silence with which she would listen to his apologies . Then , realizing that these histrionics would be somewhat marred by a pink negligée , she struggled into her dinner dress . It was then seven o'clock and time to practise some more vehement reception for the laggard . It went well -- very well . Any man would have been annihilated by it , but there was still no man when half-past seven came . Quite suddenly she fell into a panic .