two in the morning
Then the procession of subdued husbands would follow , and conglomerate menus would be spread on a series of tea tables throughout the rooms , with Sezanne smoking her small amber-stemmed pipe and describing her sojourn in a Turkish harem while Gay picked minor chords on his ukulele . After a later diversion of nickel dance halls and slumming the young matrons would say good-bye , preparing to sleep until noon , quite convinced that any one would have called it a day . Such a party greeted Steve , with Gay showing plans for Beatrice 's secret room with a sliding panel -- clever idea , splendid when they would be playing hide and seek -- and the cooks en route with the kettles and bottles of wine and the husbands meekly arriving in sulky silence . A little before two in the morning Steve escorted Aunt Belle back to the Constantine house . Beatrice had started to go to bed , but thinking of something she wished to ask Steve she stationed herself in his room , some candy near at hand and Sezanne 's manuscript as solace until he should arrive . `` I wanted to ask you if Mary Faithful has returned , '' she said , throwing down the manuscript as he came in . `` Heavens , do n't look like a thundercloud !