midnight
Shelton looked at him , and itched to say , `` Why should n't I ? '' but it struck him that it would sound very odd . `` Besides , '' he thought , `` I shall only catch a cold '' ; and , without speaking , he left the seat , and went along towards his rooms . He reached his rooms at midnight so exhausted that , without waiting to light up , he dropped into a chair . The curtains and blinds had been removed for cleaning , and the tall windows admitted the night 's staring gaze . Shelton fixed his eyes on that outside darkness , as one lost man might fix his eyes upon another . An unaired , dusty odour clung about the room , but , like some God-sent whiff of grass or flowers wafted to one sometimes in the streets , a perfume came to him , the spice from the withered clove carnation still clinging , to his button-hole ; and he suddenly awoke from his queer trance .