nearly midnight
They dined together , sumptuously . The wine flowed freely , as indeed it had done all day . Sir Mulberry drank to recompense himself for his recent abstinence ; the young lord , to drown his indignation ; and the remainder of the party , because the wine was of the best and they had nothing to pay . It was nearly midnight when they rushed out , wild , burning with wine , their blood boiling , and their brains on fire , to the gaming-table . Here , they encountered another party , mad like themselves . The excitement of play , hot rooms , and glaring lights was not calculated to allay the fever of the time . In that giddy whirl of noise and confusion , the men were delirious .