four o'clock in the
morning
The fighting was now over , and Denis asked leave to accompany his master . The rout of the enemy had been so thorough and complete that it was not thought probable any serious resistance could be offered to the advance of the allied armies to Paris , and he therefore obtained leave without difficulty to remain with his master . Ralph suffered from exhaustion rather than pain on the journey to Brussels , and several times became almost unconscious . At four o'clock in the morning the ambulance stopped at a handsome house that its owner had placed at the disposal of the authorities for the use of wounded officers . He was carried upstairs and placed in bed in a room on the second story . Denis at once proceeded to install himself there . He brought down a mattress from a room above , laid it in the corner , throwing his greatcoat over it , then as soon as he thought the shops were open he hurried out and bought a kettle and saucepan , two cups and tumblers , a small basin , and several other articles .