about noon
It was not altogether easy ; the least thing had its worth for her : a shaky table , a broken chair , she wished to leave nothing behind . Fischer , fortified by the authority of his old friendship with Jean Michel , had to join Christophe in complaining , and , good-fellow that he was and understanding her grief , had even to promise to keep some of her precious rubbish for her against the day when she should want it again . Then she agreed to tear herself away . The two brothers had been told of the removal , but Ernest came on the night before to say that he could not be there , and Rodolphe appeared for a moment about noon ; he watched them load the furniture , gave some advice , and went away again looking mightily busy . The procession set out through the muddy streets . Christophe led the horse , which slipped on the greasy cobbles . Louisa walked by her son 's side , and tried to shelter him from the rain .