midday
He next went to see each of his friends , and once more told them that he believed the enterprise would be successful . Pontcalec gave him half a piece of gold and a letter , which he was to present to a certain Captain la Jonquiere , their correspondent at Paris , who would put Gaston in communication with the important persons he went to seek . He then put all the ready money he had into a valise , and , accompanied only by an old servant named Owen , in whom he had great confidence , he set out from Nantes . It was midday , a bright sun shone on the stream , and sparkled on the icicles which hung from the leafless trees , as Gaston made his way along the deserted road , looking in vain for anything resembling the convent carriage . The servant appeared much more anxious to quicken their pace than Gaston himself did , for to him the journey was fraught with annoyances , and he was so anxious to arrive at that Paris of which he had heard such wonderful tales , that , had it been possible , he would willingly have added wings to their horses ' feet . Gaston , however , traveled slowly as far as Oudan , but the convent carriage proceeded more slowly still . At Oudan he halted ; he chose the Char Couronne , a house which had some windows overlooking the road , and which , moreover , was the best inn in the village .