eleven o’clock
a great power in a feeble body ; a spirit unbelieving as to all things here below , devoutly believing in the practices of religion ; a man struggling with two powers greater than his own -- the present and the future ; the future in which he feared eternal punishment , a fear which led him to make so many sacrifices to the Church ; the present , namely his life itself , for the saving of which he blindly obeyed Coyctier . This king , who crushed down all about him , was himself crushed down by remorse , and by disease in the midst of the great poem of defiant monarchy in which all power was concentrated . It was once more the gigantic and ever magnificent combat of Man in the highest manifestation of his forces tilting against Nature . While awaiting his dinner , a repast which was taken in those days between eleven o'clock and mid-day , Louis XI. , returning from a short promenade , sat down in a huge tapestried chair near the fireplace in his chamber . Olivier de Daim , and his doctor , Coyctier , looked at each other without a word , standing in the recess of a window and watching their master , who presently seemed asleep . The only sound that was heard were the steps of the two chamberlains on service , the Sire de Montresor , and Jean Dufou , Sire de Montbazon , who were walking up and down the adjoining hall . These two Tourainean seigneurs looked at the captain of the Scottish guard , who was sleeping in his chair , according to his usual custom .