ten o’clock in the evening
He gave them some dinner ; then he smoked a cigar and they set off again in the car and went the round of the theatres , beginning with those which were giving light operas and musical comedies , for which he presumed that Daubrecq and his lady would have a preference . He took a stall , inspected the lower-tier boxes and went away again . He next drove to the more serious theatres : the Renaissance , the Gymnase . At last , at ten o'clock in the evening , he saw a pit-tier box at the Vaudeville almost entirely protected from inspection by its two screens ; and , on tipping the boxkeeper , was told that it contained a short , stout , elderly gentleman and a lady who was wearing a thick lace veil . The next box was free . He took it , went back to his friends to give them their instructions and sat down near the couple . During the entr ' acte , when the lights went up , he perceived Daubrecq 's profile .