nine o’clock
A few words sufficed to let them know what he wished ; soldiers are particularly open to such confidences . Roland spoke of a grave insult , the nature of which must remain a secret even to his seconds . He declared that he was the offended party , and claimed the choice of weapons and mode of fighting -- advantages which belong to the challenger . The young fellows agreed to present themselves to Sir John the following morning at the Hôtel Mirabeau , Rue de Richelieu , at nine o'clock , and make the necessary arrangements with Sir John 's seconds . After that they would join Roland at the Hôtel de Paris in the same street . Roland returned to his room at eleven that evening , wrote for about an hour , then went to bed and to sleep . At half-past nine the next morning his friends came to him .