one o'clock
`` And now , _ au revoir _ ; in a few hours you will be mine for ever . '' After leaving her he dined ; after dinner went to a gambling hell , where he lost a good deal of money , and would have lost more , had the necessity of keeping at least £ 200 for his wedding-tour not been so imperative . He wandered about the streets talking to and sometimes strolling about with the light women , listening to their lamentable stories -- `` anything , '' he thought , `` to distract my mind . '' He was to meet Lily on the staircase at one o'clock , and now it was half-past twelve , and giving the poor creature whose chatter had beguiled the last half-hour a louis , he returned hurriedly to his hotel . The lift had ceased working , and he ascended the great staircase , three steps at a time . On the second floor he stopped to reconnoitre . The _ gardien _ lay fast asleep on a bench ; he could not do better than sit on the stairs and wait ; if the man awoke he would have to be bribed .