half past nine
John certainly had said to her at breakfast that he saw no reason for foregoing the musical feature of the evening simply because an audience was to be present to hear it . Paula 's only comment had been a dispassionate prediction that it would n't work . It would n't be fair to say she sulked ; her rather elaborate detachment had been too good-humored for that . Her statement , at lunch , that she was to be turned on like a Victrola at half past nine , was a fair sample . `` What 's he like , this genius of hers ? '' Mary wanted to know . `` Young and downy and helpless , I suppose .