about
four in the morning
But this would have been too dangerous , since it would have attracted the attention of the people of the house , and led them to suspect that the priest had spoken other words to him than those of absolution ; or they might report this sudden change to Cazeneau , and thereby excite his suspicions . The next day came . Claude knew that on this day Cazeneau and his party had left , for he overheard the people of the house speaking about it . According to their statements , the party had left at about four in the morning . This filled Claude with a fever of impatience , for he saw that this first day 's march would put them a long way ahead , and make it difficult for him to catch up with them . But there was only one day , and he tried to comfort himself with the thought that he could travel faster than the others , and also that the priest and Mimi would both manage to retard their progress , so as to allow him to catch up . The day passed thus , and evening came at last .