ten o'clock
Darkness came on to this den so completely , that it was impossible to see in one of the angles of this inner apartment the open mouth of one of those cellars which are entered by a door in two divisions , one of which was constantly kept open for the convenience of access . The table at which the Schoolmaster sat was close upon this dark and deep hole , and he turned his back upon it , so that it was entirely concealed from Rodolph 's view . He was looking through the window , in order to command his countenance and conceal the workings of his thoughts . The sight of Murphy speeding through the Allée des Veuves did not quite assure him ; he was afraid that the worthy squire had not quite understood the full meaning of his note , necessarily so laconic , and containing only these words : `` This evening -- ten o'clock . Be on your guard . '' Resolved not to go to the Allée des Veuves before that moment , nor to lose sight of the Schoolmaster for an instant , he yet trembled at the idea of losing the only opportunity that might ever be afforded him of obtaining that secret which he was so excessively anxious to possess . Although he was powerful and well armed , yet he had to deal with an unscrupulous assassin , capable of any and every thing .