nine o'clock
A word at any time will bring me , if you change your mind . '' One evening , about a week later , Maurice entered Seyffert 's Cafe . The heavy snowfall had been succeeded by a period of thaw -- of slush and gloom ; and , on this particular night , a keen wind had risen , making the streets seem doubly cheerless . It was close on nine o'clock , and Seyffert 's was crowded with its usual guests -- young people , who had escaped from more or less dingy rooms to the warmth and light of the cafe , where the yellow blinds were drawn against the inclement night . The billiard table in the centre was never free ; those players whose turn had not yet come , or was over , stood round it , cigarette or large black cigar in hand , and watched the game . Maurice had difficulty in finding a seat . When he did , it was at a table for two , in a corner .