six in the morning
But Burley had only women and children and old men on whom to practice his earnest and voluble French , for everybody else was at the front . Children adored him -- adored his big , silver spurs , his cartridge belt and pistol , the metal mule decorating his tunic collar , his six feet two of height , his quick smile , the even white teeth and grayish eyes of this American muleteer , who always had a stick of barley sugar to give them or an amazing trick to perform for them with a handkerchief or coin that vanished under their very noses at the magic snap of his finger . Old men gossiped willingly with him ; women liked him and their rare smiles in the war-sobered town of Sainte Lesse were often for him as he sauntered along the quiet street , clanking , swaggering , affable , ready for conversation with anybody , and always ready for the small , confident hands that unceremoniously clasped his when he passed by where children played . As for Maryette Courtray , called Carillonnette , she mounted the bell-tower once every hour , from six in the morning until nine o'clock in the evening , to play the passing of Time toward that eternity into which it is always and ceaselessly moving . After nine o'clock Carillonnette set the drum and wound it ; and through the dark hours of the night the bells played mechanically every hour for a few moments before Bayard struck . Between these duties the girl managed the old inn , to which , since the war , nobody came any more -- and with these occupations her life was full -- sufficiently full , perhaps , without the advent of John Burley . They met with enough frequency for her , if not for him .