seven o’clock
She kissed him , and with her warm breath she blew to his very heart the words : ` Be quiet , be quiet , I love you ! ' They adored each other ; it was inevitable . Near them , on the centre of the table , the lilac she had sent him that morning embalmed the night air , and , alone shiny with lingering light , the scattered particles of gold leaf , wafted from the frame of the big picture , twinkled like a swarming of stars . THE very next morning , at seven o'clock , Christine was at the studio , her face still flushed by the falsehood which she had told Madame Vanzade about a young friend from Clermont whom she was to meet at the station , and with whom she should spend the day . Claude , overjoyed by the idea of spending a whole day with her , wanted to take her into the country , far away under the glorious sunlight , so as to have her entirely to himself . She was delighted ; they scampered off like lunatics , and reached the St. Lazare Station just in time to catch the Havre train . He knew , beyond Mantes , a little village called Bennecourt , where there was an artists ' inn which he had at times invaded with some comrades ; and careless as to the two hours ' rail , he took her to lunch there , just as he would have taken her to Asnieres .