midnight
Mordaunt sat in an adjoining room , opening and answering letters . His demeanour was quite serene . Save that he paused now and then and leaned back in his chair to listen , there was nothing about him to indicate that anything unusual had taken place . It was nearing midnight when his man came softly in with a cup of beef-tea . `` All right , Holmes ! I 'll see to him . You can go to bed , '' he said then .