nine o’clock
_ A hundred years ago , or thereabouts , there happened in a town on the borders of France a curious incident , which I will relate , to increase my number of stories , and also because it deserves to rank with the others . In this town there was a man whose wife was fair , kind , and gracious , and much enamoured of a churchman , her own curé and near neighbour , who loved her as much as she did him , but to find an opportunity to come together amorously was difficult , but it was at last found by the ingenuity of the lady , in the manner I will describe . Her husband was a goldsmith , and so greedy of gain that he would never sleep an hour in which he could work . Every day he would rise an hour or two before dawn , and let his wife take a long rest till eight or nine o'clock , or as long as she pleased . This amorous dame seeing how diligent her husband was , and that he rose early every day to hammer and work , determined to employ with the curé the time during which she was neglected by her husband , and arranged that at such and such an hour her lover could visit her without her husband 's knowledge , for the cure 's house stood next to hers . This happy expedient was proposed to the curé , who gladly accepted it , for it seemed to him that his amour could be carried on easily and secretly . So as soon as the proposal was made it was executed , and thus they continued to live for a long time ; but fortune -- envious perhaps of their happiness and sweet enjoyment -- willed that their amours should be unfortunately discovered in the manner you will hear .