midnight
Irma drove to Countess d'Isorella 's . Violetta was abed , and lay fair and placid as a Titian Venus , while Irma sputtered out her tale , with intermittent sobs . She rose upon her elbow , and planting it in her pillow , took half-a-dozen puffs of a cigarette , and then requested Irma to ring for her maid . `` Do nothing till you see me again , '' she said ; `` and take my advice : always get to bed before midnight , or you 'll have unmanageable wrinkles in a couple of years . If you had been in bed at a prudent hour to-night , this scandal would not have occurred . '' `` How can I be in bed ? How could I help it ? ''