six o’clock
The touching scene had indeed taken place , and less than twenty-four hours after the novelist had thus expressed to himself the regret of not assisting at it . Only he was mistaken as to the tenor of the dialogue , in a manner which proved that the subtlety of intelligence will never divine the simplicity of the heart . The most dolorous of all moral tragedies knit and unknit the most often in silence . It was in the afternoon , toward six o'clock , that a servant came to announce Mademoiselle Hafner 's visit to the Contessina , busy at that moment reading for the tenth time the ` Eglogue Mondaine , ' that delicate story by Dorsenne . When Fanny entered the room , Alba could see what a trial her charming god-daughter of the past week had sustained , by the surprising and rapid alteration in that expressive and noble visage . She took her hand at first without speaking to her , as if she was entirely ignorant of the cause of her friend 's real indisposition . She then said : `` How pleased I am to see you !