nearly midnight
We went back to Southampton and collected our luggage at the South-Western Hotel -- the hotel porter in charge thereof . Our uncertainty as to whether we would cross or not horribly disturbed his dull brain . Ten shillings and Jaffery 's peremptory order to stick to his side and obey him slavishly took the place of intellectual workings . It was nearly midnight . We walked through the docks , a background of darkness , a foreground of confusing lights amid which shone vivid illuminated placards before the brightly lit steamers -- `` St. Malo '' -- `` Cherbourg '' -- `` Jersey '' -- `` Havre . '' At the quiet gangway of the Havre boat we waited . The porter deposited our bags on the quay and stood patiently expectant like a dog who lays a stick at its master 's feet .