midnight
Hockley felt a surge of encouragement as he detected a more sharply critical evaluation in the conversations that buzzed around him . The enthusiasm was more measured . It was the following evening , however , that witnessed the first event of pronounced shifting of anyone 's attitude . They had finished dinner and were gathering in the lounge , sparring around , setting up groups for the bull sessions that would go until long after midnight . Most of them had already settled down and were talking part in conversations or were listening quietly when they were suddenly aware of a change in the atmosphere of the room . For a moment there was a general turning of heads to locate the source of the disturbance . Hockley knew he could never describe just what made him look around , but he was abruptly conscious that Dr. Silvers was walking into the lounge and looking slowly about at those gathered there .