midnight
He took particular care to send a most perfect portion to the young Duke , and he did this , as he paid all attentions to influential strangers , with the most marked consciousness of the sufferance which permitted his presence : never addressing his Grace , but audibly whispering to the servant , ` Take this to the Duke ; ' or asking the attendant , ` whether his Grace would try the Hermitage ? ' After dinner , with the exception of Cogit , who was busied in compounding some wonderful liquid for the future refreshment , they sat down to _ écarté _ . Without having exchanged a word upon the subject , there seemed a general understanding among all the parties that to-night was to be a pitched battle , and they began at once , briskly . Yet , in spite of their universal determination , midnight arrived without anything decisive . Another hour passed over , and then Tom Cogit kept touching the Baron 's elbow and whispering in a voice which everybody could understand . All this meant that supper was ready . It was brought into the room .