midnight
There is no closing hour for the German students ' carousals . The official part of the affair is declared to be at an end at twelve or one o'clock , but all may stay as long as they please , and many are still in their places when the day dawns . Greif and Rex sat side by side at the head of the long table . It was long past midnight , but neither felt the need of sleep . Greif dreaded to go home , for he felt that he was taking his last leave of a life he loved . Rex , who was unnaturally calm , even for a man of his solid nerve , sat motionless beside his friend , emptying his huge beaker twice in every hour with unfailing regularity . He talked quietly but constantly , interspersing queer bits of cynicism and odds and ends of uncommon wisdom in his placid conversation .