one o’clock in the
morning before
Madame Lecoeur inquired what was done to the people who got arrested `` for politics , '' but on this point Mademoiselle Saget could not enlighten her ; she only knew that they were never seen again -- no , never . And this induced La Sarriette to suggest that perhaps they were thrown into the Seine , as Jules had said they ought to be . Lisa avoided all reference to the subject at breakfast and dinner that day ; and even in the evening , when Florent and Quenu went off together to Monsieur Lebigre 's , there was no unwonted severity in her glance . On that particular evening , however , the question of framing a constitution for the future came under discussion , and it was one o'clock in the morning before the politicians could tear themselves away from the little room . The shutters had already been fastened , and they were obliged to leave by a small door , passing out one at a time with bent backs . Quenu returned home with an uneasy conscience . He opened the three or four doors on his way to bed as gently as possible , walking on tip-toe and stretching out his hands as he passed through the sitting-room , to avoid a collision with any of the furniture .