seven o'clock
Whenever he had done so , Agatha had firmly grasped both her father 's chair and the Chevalier 's hand , as though she feared he was about to renew his attempts to drag her away , but he did not either touch her or speak to her . He was probably aware that the sergeant , who sat there without once closing his eyes through the long hours , had orders to prevent him from doing so . The Chevalier had no watch , and could not see how the hours were going , but it seemed to him as though it were broad day . He thought it must be five , six , nay seven o'clock ; and he could not understand why the lazy republicans remained so passive and so quiet , nor could he imagine why Chapeau was so long in coming . The whole affair seemed to him so strange that he could hardly help fancying that he was dreaming . There sat close to him his dear friend Agatha , with her eyes wide open , fixed on Denot , and she had been gazing in this way for hours after hours , without speaking a word . There was the Marquis close to her , equally silent , but also wide awake , though his eyes were closed .