three
o'clock in the afternoon
M. Dupont was only a nominal manager , and generally contented himself with writing up his editorial without even taking it to the office . He left the real management to his son-in-law , whose function was that of editor-in-chief . Thus Fandor had been extremely astonished when his `` Head , '' as he was called in the editorial department , had rung him up . M. Dupont had summoned him to the Chamber of Deputies , for three o'clock in the afternoon : his chief wished to give him some information for an article on a matter which interested him particularly . Fandor was puzzled , anxious . What could it be ? The chief could not know that he was taking his holiday .