four in the afternoon
Certain wrinkled , broken-down , old peasants had never been able to break themselves of the habit of saluting him when he passed with , `` Bonjour , gamin , ca va bien ? '' He was six feet high , this gamin , and Jean never crossed the village without perceiving at one window the old furrowed parchment skin of Clemence , and at another the smiling countenance of Rosalie . The latter had married during the previous year ; Jean had given her away , and joyously on the wedding-night had he danced with the girls of Longueval . Such was the lieutenant of artillery , who , on Saturday , May 28 , 1881 , at half-past four in the afternoon , sprang from his horse before the door of the vicarage of Longueval . He entered the gate , the horse obediently followed , and went by himself into a little shed in the yard . Pauline was at the kitchen window ; Jean approached and kissed her heartily on both cheeks . `` Good-evening , Pauline .