midnight
But he preferred the penetrating judgments , the superior mental freedom , of his companion . If she were interested in a prostitute , she did n't , with a laborious self-consciousness , avoid that term ; she was neither obviously aware of those fragile vessels of pleasure nor ignorant of them ; indeed , Lee told himself , she was more a part of their world , however continent she might remain , than she was of Fanny 's . Fanny , here , would have been equally fascinated and shocked ; but , essentially , she 'd be hurt ; and , at the same time , rebellious with the innate resentment of the pure , the contained , for the free . She would never have agreed to the champagne , either ; they would have ordered lemonades or claret cup ; and , by midnight , gone back to the hotel . It was now past two o'clock . There was no lessening in the vigor of the dancing , the laughter , or in the stream of laden trays ; no trace of fatigue in Mrs. Grove . She had the determined resilience of a woman approaching , perhaps , the decline , but not yet in it ; of one who had danced into innumerable sun-rises from the night before , destroying many dozens of pairs of satin slippers .