midnight before
... perhaps ... I ca n't say . '' On the second occasion , now a little more accustomed to the idea , he replied `` Probably '' and on the third `` Yes , definitely . '' Eventually , one evening at the club , carried away by some glasses of egg-nog , the public interest and the plaudits , he declared formally that he was tired of shooting at hats and was going shortly in pursuit of the great lions of Africa . A loud cheer greeted this declaration , then came more egg-nog , handshakes , embraces and torchlight serenades until midnight before the little house of the baobab . Tartarin-Sancho , however , was far from pleased . The idea of travelling to Africa and hunting lions scared him stiff and when they went into the house , and while the serenade of honour was still going on outside , he made the most frightful scene with Tartarin-Quixote , calling him a crazy dreamer , a rash triple idiot and detailing one by one the catastrophes which would await him on such an expedition . Shipwreck , fever , dysentery , plague , elephantiasis and so on ... it was useless for Tartarin-Quixote to swear that he would be careful , that he would dress warmly , that he would take with him everything that might be needed , Tartarin-Sancho refused to listen .