midnight
But it did not prevent him from leaving the room in a vicious temper , and , ultimately , the Cataract Club . The early winter night had turned cold and clear ; sidewalks glittered , sheeted with ice . He inhaled a deep breath and expelled a reeking one , hailed a cab , and drove to the railroad station . Here he bought his tickets , choosing a midnight train ; for the journey to Mulqueen 's was not a very long one ; he could sleep till seven in the car ; and , besides , he had his luggage to collect from the hotel he had been casually inhabiting . Also he had not yet dined . Bodily he felt better , now that the vichy had been `` killed '' ; mentally his temper became more vicious than ever as he thought of Dumont 's blunted wit at his expense -- a wit with edge enough left to make a ragged , nasty wound . `` He 'll get what 's coming to him some day , '' snarled Quest , returning to his cab ; and he bade the driver take him to the Amphitheatre , a restaurant resort , wonderful in terra-cotta rocks , papier-maché grottos , and Croton waterfalls -- haunted of certain semi-distinguished pushers of polite professions , among whom he had been known for years .