About nine o'clock
Occasionally he smiled contentedly across at Wallace , who smiled in response . After the coffee he had the waiter bring cigars . They went back between the tables to a little upholstered smoking room , where they sank into the depths of leather chairs , and blew the gray clouds of smoke towards the ceiling . About nine o'clock Thorpe spoke the first word . `` I 'm stupid this evening , I 'm afraid , '' said he , shaking himself . `` Do n't think on that account I am not enjoying your dinner . I believe , '' he asserted earnestly , `` that I never had such an altogether comfortable , happy evening before in my life . ''