noon
M. de Kercadiou took the sheet of paper that Andre-Louis held out . His hand shook . He approached it to the cluster of candles burning on the console and screwed up his short-sighted eyes to read . `` If you send that to Paris by young Rougane in the morning , '' said Andre-Louis , `` Aline should be here by noon . Nothing , of course , could be done to-night without provoking suspicion . The hour is too late . And now , monsieur my godfather , you know exactly why I intrude in violation of your commands .