midnight
I need that money and -- I have nerves . '' The former speaker opened his coat and DeVoe saw that he had left the house with no protection whatever beneath it , except trousers and footgear . His body was wet from the climb , but he exposed it openly to the storm until he was blue with cold , while the younger man stamped about , threshing his arms and lamenting his own discomfort . That night Murray repeated his Turkish bath , swallowed his usual narcotic , and lay down upon his draughty couch to be awakened some time after midnight by a cry of `` Fire . '' He noted dully that a vivid glare was flickering through his open windows , and saw that the roofs adjoining were silhouetted against a redly glowing sky ; he heard a great clamor of shouting voices , gunshots , bells , running feet , so arose and dressed himself . Instead of donning his regular clothing , however , he drew on a pair of trousers , thrust his bare feet into rubber boots , then buttoned a rubber coat over his naked shoulders . When he undertook to rouse DeVoe , Henry refused to get up , murmuring sourly beneath his blankets : `` It 's too cold and I 've just fallen asleep -- been tossing around for hours . ''