three o'clock in the morning
I rallied him on his recovery from his sorrow , but Louis only said mournfully that he was driven by fate , dragged against his will . `` I am quite sure , '' he said , `` that it would be better for me not to go , but nevertheless I am going . '' Louis was too pre-occupied to talk when we met at the masked ball , and he suddenly left me for a lady carrying violets . Later he rejoined me , and together we set off to supper at three o'clock in the morning . It was my friend D -- 's supper party , and he had included Louis in the invitation . We found our friends waiting supper , and D -- announced that the only person who had not arrived was Château-Renard . It seemed there was a wager on that M. de Château-Renard would not arrive with a certain lady whom he had undertaken to bring to supper .