midnight
There was poor Connie Fox , desperately eager and amiable , dancing with the youngest men and the oldest men , glittering and jolly in her dingy blue silk ; and Connie 's mother , who was her chaperon , a little fluttering fool of a woman , nervously eager to ingratiate , and nervously afraid to intrude her company upon these demi-gods and goddesses ; and Theodora Carleton , handsome in too low cut a gown , laughing with Alan Gregory , and aware , as every one in the room was aware , that her husband 's first wife was also at the dance . The room grew warm , the air heavy with delicate perfumes . Men were mopping their faces ; some of the debutantes looked like wilting roses ; the faces of some of the older women were shining . It was midnight , the latest comers had arrived , the floor was well filled . `` I wonder if I will be doing this twenty years from now , '' thought Julia . `` I wonder if my daughter will come to the Brownings , then ? '' '' ... which I call disgraceful , do n't you , Mrs. Studdiford ? ''