three
o’clock
The violoncellist played , a singer sang , and invariably at half-past eleven the door leading to the dining-room opened and Dymov , smiling , said : `` Come to supper , gentlemen . '' As before , Olga Ivanovna hunted celebrities , found them , was not satisfied , and went in pursuit of fresh ones . As before , she came back late every night ; but now Dymov was not , as last year , asleep , but sitting in his study at work of some sort . He went to bed at three o'clock and got up at eight . One evening when she was getting ready to go to the theatre and standing before the pier glass , Dymov came into her bedroom , wearing his dress-coat and a white tie . He was smiling gently and looked into his wife 's face joyfully , as in old days ; his face was radiant . `` I have just been defending my thesis , '' he said , sitting down and smoothing his knees .