midnight
was his constant sneer . And his every action told that he did not intend to let Cornelia play with him a second time . With all his profligacy and moral worthlessness , he had a tenacity of purpose and an energy in this matter that showed that either Cornelia must in the end bow to his will , or their contest would end in something very like a tragedy . And if a tragedy , so be it , was the desperate resolve of Cornelia ; whose eyes were too stern for tears when she saw that Lucius was still the former creature of appetite ; full of intrigue , sweethearts , seashore revels , carouses , singing , and music parties and water excursions with creatures of his choice from morning until midnight . She could not altogether shun him , though she successfully resisted his half blandishments , half coercion , to make her join in his wild frivolities . One revenge she found she could take on him -- a revenge that she enjoyed because it proclaimed her own intellectual superiority , and made Ahenobarbus writhe with impotent vexation -- she had him at her mercy when they played at checkers ; -LSB- 133 -RSB- and at last Lucius lost so much money and temper at this game of wit , not chance , that he would sulkily decline a challenge . But this was poor consolation to Cornelia .