midnight
His host was a wealthy landowner , owning some twenty-five hundred acres , and had married his guest 's cousin . Volgin , tired after an evening spent in playing vint * for small stakes with -LSB- * A game of cards similar to auction bridge . -RSB- members of the family , went to his room and placed his watch , silver cigarette-case , pocket-book , big leather purse , and pocket-brush and comb on a small table covered with a white cloth , and then , taking off his coat , waistcoat , shirt , trousers , and underclothes , his silk socks and English boots , put on his nightshirt and dressing-gown . His watch pointed to midnight . Volgin smoked a cigarette , lay on his face for about five minutes reviewing the day 's impressions ; then , blowing out his candle , he turned over on his side and fell asleep about one o'clock , in spite of a good deal of restlessness . Awaking next morning at eight he put on his slippers and dressing-gown , and rang the bell . The old butler , Stephen , the father of a family and the grandfather of six grandchildren , who had served in that house for thirty years , entered the room hurriedly , with bent legs , carrying in the newly blackened boots which Volgin had taken off the night before , a well-brushed suit , and a clean shirt .