about midnight
She was very fond of it , but had never been able to perceive the difference between good and bad . She used to make Jean-Christophe play through strange programmes , in which dull rhapsodies stood side by side with masterpieces . But her greatest pleasure was to make him improvise , and she used to provide him with heartbreakingly sentimental themes . Jean-Christophe used to leave about midnight , worn out , with his hands burning , his head aching , his stomach empty . He was in a sweat , and outside snow would be falling , or there would be an icy fog . He had to walk across half the town to reach home . He went on foot , his teeth chattering , longing to sleep and to cry , and he had to take care not to splash his only evening dress-suit in the puddles .