midnight
Soon after supper Endymion Westcote informed his sister that it was hopeless to think of returning to Bayfield . The barouche would convey her back to the Town House ; but already the snow lay a foot and a half deep , and was still falling . He himself , after packing her off with Narcissus , would remain and attend to the comfort of the guests , many of whom must bivouac at `` The Dogs '' for the night as best they could . At midnight , or a little later , the barouche was announced . It drew up close to the porch , axle-deep in snow . Upstairs the orchestra was sawing out the strains of `` Major Malley 's Reel , '' as Endymion lifted his sister in and slammed the door upon her and Narcissus . The noise prevented his hearing a sash-window lifted , immediately above the porch .