about eight o'clock in the evening
The two servants made wry faces , but obeyed . It will be understood that the happy disposition in which Buvat now was became more blissful under the influence of a good dinner . Buvat ate all the eatables , drank all the drinkables , and at last , after having sipped his coffee -- a luxury which he usually only allowed himself on Sundays -- and having capped the Arabian nectar with a glass of Madame Anfoux ' liquor , was , it must be confessed , in a state bordering upon ecstasy . That evening the supper was equally successful ; but as Buvat had abandoned himself at dinner rather freely to the consumption of Chambertin and Sillery , about eight o'clock in the evening he found himself in a state of glorification impossible to describe . The consequence was , that when the valet-de-chambre entered , instead of finding him like the evening before , with his head under the bed , he found Buvat seated on a comfortable sofa , his feet on the hobs , his head leaning back , his eyes winking , and singing between his teeth , with an expression of infinite tenderness : `` Then let me go , And let me play , Beneath the hazel-tree . '' Which , as may be seen , was a great improvement on the state of the worthy writer twenty-four hours before . Moreover , when the valet-de-chambre offered to help him to undress , Buvat , who found a slight difficulty in expressing his thoughts , contented himself with smiling in sign of approbation ; then extended his arms to have his coat taken off , then his legs to have his slippers removed ; but , in spite of his state of exaltation , it is only just to Buvat to say , that it was only when he found himself alone that he laid aside the rest of his garments .