three o’clock
I am absurd , I know ; forgive me , dear . '' A few moments later the marquise departed ; as she watched her go the princess said to herself : -- `` How she will pluck me ! But to save her the trouble of trying to get Daniel away from here I 'll send him to her . '' At three o'clock , or a few moments after , d'Arthez arrived . In the midst of some interesting topic on which he was discoursing eloquently , the princess suddenly cut him short by laying her hand on his arm . `` Pardon me , my dear friend , '' she said , interrupting him , `` but I fear I may forget a thing which seems a mere trifle but may be of great importance . You have not set foot in Madame d'Espard 's salon since the ever-blessed day when I met you there .