one o’clock
The liquor is bland and almost harmless , and the heads are strong , and backed by iron constitutions . The object is not intoxication but jollity , and there is a deliberation in the manner of attaining the end by spending eight or nine hours over it , which effectually prevents such scenes as occur at festive meetings where the time is limited and men make themselves beastly drunk in the attempt to be merry before midnight . There is no closing hour for the German students ' carousals . The official part of the affair is declared to be at an end at twelve or one o'clock , but all may stay as long as they please , and many are still in their places when the day dawns . Greif and Rex sat side by side at the head of the long table . It was long past midnight , but neither felt the need of sleep . Greif dreaded to go home , for he felt that he was taking his last leave of a life he loved .