midnight
But in that great crowd , with nearly everyone wearing their masks , it was impossible to recognise him . The only part I recollected that was peculiar about him was that he had a white ruffle around his neck , instead of a mauve or green one , and it occurred to me that on entering the masters of the ceremonies would compel him to remove it as being against the rules to wear anything but the colours laid down by the committee . I was looking for a pierrot without a ruffle , and my search was long and in vain . Till near midnight I went among that mad crowd , but could not recognise him . He might , I reflected , be by that hour in such a state of intoxication as to be unable to come to the ball at all . Suddenly , however , as I was brushing past two masked dancers who were standing chatting at one of the doors leading from the Casino into the theatre where the ball was in progress , one of them exclaimed with a French accent -- `` Hulloa , Ewart ! '' `` Hulloa ! ''