half past five
She fell into the habit of going down to the creamery in the morning , when the shutters were removed , and generally carried them inside ; she would take her _ café au lait _ there and remain until nine o'clock , when she would go back and give mademoiselle her chocolate ; and between breakfast and dinner she found excuses for returning two or three times , delaying and chattering in the back-shop on the slightest pretext . `` What a magpie you are getting to be ! '' mademoiselle would say , in a scolding voice , but with a smiling face . At half past five , when her mistress 's little dinner was cleared away , she would run down the stairs four at a time , install herself at Mère Jupillon 's , wait until ten o'clock , clamber up the five flights , and in five minutes undress her mistress , who submitted unresistingly , albeit she was somewhat astonished that Germinie should be in such haste to go to bed ; she remembered the time when she had a mania for moving her sleepy body from one easy-chair to another , and was never willing to go up to her room . While the candle was still smoking on mademoiselle 's night table , Germinie would be back at the creamery , this time to remain until midnight , until one o'clock ; often she did not go until a policeman , noticing the light , tapped on the shutters and made them close up . In order to be always there and to have the right to be always there , to make herself a part of the shop , to keep her eyes constantly upon the man she loved , to hover about him , to keep him , to be always brushing against him , she had become the servant of the establishment . She swept the shop , she prepared the old woman 's meals and the food for the dogs .