About eight o’clock
A nice observer would , perhaps , have considered the Baron 's high spirits artificial , and his conversation an effort . Yet his temper , though lively , was generally equable ; and his ideas , which always appeared to occur easily , were usually thrown out in fluent phraseology . The dinner was long , and a great deal of wine was drunk : more than most of the parties present for a long time had been accustomed to . About eight o'clock the Chevalier proposed going to the Redoute , but the Baron objected . `` Let us have an evening altogether : surely we have had enough of the Redoute . In my opinion one of the advantages of the fête is , that there is no New House to-night . Conversation is a novelty .