four in the morning
So he stayed on , hour after hour , weary-eyed and taciturn , but by no means ill-humored . Many of the wall-flowers and elderly guests poured their chatter into his unhearing ear , and thought him a most sympathetic listener . Genevieve , however , with each glimpse that she caught of him , perceived how his fatigue was constantly verging toward exhaustion . At last , between three and four in the morning , she cut short a dance with young Ashton and asked Lord James to take her into the library for a few minutes ' rest . He was with Dolores , but immediately relinquished her to Ashton , and went off with Genevieve . They soon passed out of the chatter and whirl of the crowd into the seclusion of the library . Genevieve led the way to her father 's favorite table , but avoided the big high-backed armchair .