noon
It was then broad daylight . A brilliant early autumn day after the rains . The sun , the keen air , all mocked Chauvelin 's helplessness , his humiliation . Long before noon they passed St. Denis . Here the barouche turned off the main road , halted at a small wayside house -- nothing more than a cottage . After which everything seemed more dreamlike than ever . All that Chauvelin remembered of it afterwards was that he was once more alone in a room with his enemy , who had demanded his signature to a number of safe-conducts , ere he finally handed over the packet of papers to him .