four o'clock
The wise German dropped an olive into his Rhine wine , and gazed reflectively about the room . Men and women sat at tables drinking . Beyond the tables at the farther side of the room , other men were playing billiards . It was four o'clock and the tide was high . `` It is yet more , '' answered the doctor . `` In my prolonged studies of natural phenomena this is the most valuable of all which I have been privileged to observe . '' He called them `` brifiletched '' and `` awbsairf '' with great nicety .