Ten o’clock
And he left the room to give Julien orders to go with Anicette in the chariot and coax her away from the princess at any price . At this moment Simon Giguet , who had got through his bowing and scraping to all the influential men of Arcis , and who regarded himself as sure of his election , joined the circle around Cecile and Mademoiselle Mollot . The evening was far advanced . Ten o'clock had struck . After an enormous consumption of cakes , orgeat , punch , lemonade , and various syrups , those who had come that evening solely for political reasons and who were not accustomed to Madame Marion 's floors , to them aristocratic , departed , -- all the more willingly , because they were unaccustomed to sitting up so late . The evening then began to take on its usual air of intimacy . Simon Giguet hoped that he could now exchange a few words with Cecile , and he looked at her like a conqueror .