seven o'clock
At length the night of the great event arrived . All day Fogg had been as busy as a bee . He had been to see the costumer , perruquier , leader of orchestra , etc. , and enjoined each of them to be on hand early . Handy , always prompt and businesslike , was on the stage at seven o'clock . A few minutes later Fogg himself appeared , almost exhausted with the onerous duties of outside management , but for all that as cheerful and as confident as any man of his peculiar temperament could be . One by one the different members of the company appeared , and by half-past seven there was the usual commotion and excitement behind the scenes always attendant on an amateur entertainment . All the members of the committee were on hand to encourage Mr. Fogg and congratulate him in advance on the prospects of a grand success .