noon on Friday
Nick righted his tumbled attire and accepted the proffered weed . `` If it is n't a rude question , what are you doing here ? '' Noel 's eyes laughed across at him gaily through the blue spectacles . `` I should have thought you might have guessed that I 'm spending a night or two with the Musgraves , but I am under a solemn oath to return to Max by noon on Friday in order to have another dose of some infernal stuff with which he is peppering my eyes . He did n't much want me to come away , as it meant postponing the torture for a few hours . But I managed to get on the soft side of him for once , though he is holding himself in preparation for an immediate summons in case my vision should take advantage of my absence from him to play any nasty tricks . '' `` I see , '' said Nick .