eleven o'clock
and then in another moment gave my husband one of her knowing glances which seemed to me to say , `` Look at that foolish little wife of yours ! '' By the time we returned to the hall for coffee we were rather a noisy party , and even the eyes of the ladies betrayed the fact that they had dined . The talk , which had grown louder , was also a little more free , and God forgive me , I joined in it , being feverishly anxious to outdo Alma , and be looked upon as a woman of the world . Towards eleven o'clock , the red-coated orchestra began to play a waltz , and then the whole variegated company of ladies , soldiers , and diplomats stood up to dance , and the colonel asked me to join him . I was ashamed to tell him that I had never danced except with a schoolgirl , so I took his hand and started . But hardly had we begun , when I made mistakes , which I thought everybody saw -LRB- I am sure Alma saw them -RRB- , and before we had taken many turns my partner had to stop , whereupon I retired to my seat with a forced laugh and a sense of confusion . It was nearly twelve when they began the Cotillon , which Alma and my husband led with supreme self-possession .