eight o’clock
`` But , '' I interrupted , `` if Larsan had no intention of using the cane as evidence against Darzac , why had he made himself up to look like the man when he went in to buy it ? '' `` He had not specially ` made up ' as Darzac to buy the cane ; he had come straight to Cassette 's immediately after he had attacked Mademoiselle Stangerson . His wound was troubling him and , as he was passing along the Avenue de l'Opera , the idea of the cane came to his mind and he acted on it . It was then eight o'clock . And I , who had hit upon the very hour of the occurrence of the tragedy , almost convinced that Darzac was not the criminal , and knowing of the cane , I still never suspected Larsan . There are times ... '' `` There are times , '' I said , `` when the greatest intellects -- ... '' Rouletabille shut my mouth . I still continued to chide him , but , finding he did not reply , I saw he was no longer paying any attention to what I was saying .