nine o’clock in the morning
The consideration of consequences could easily be deferred , and there would , meanwhile , be no injury to any one in his extracting , very quietly , a little subjective joy from the state of his heart . He would let the flower bloom for a day before plucking it up by the roots . Upon this latter course he was perfectly resolved , and in view of such an heroic resolution the subjective interlude appeared no more than his just privilege . The project of leaving Blanquais-les-Galets at nine o'clock in the morning dropped lightly from his mind , making no noise as it fell ; but another took its place , which had an air of being still more excellent and which consisted of starting off on a long walk and absenting himself for the day . Bernard grasped his stick and wandered away ; he climbed the great shoulder of the further cliff and found himself on the level downs . Here there was apparently no obstacle whatever to his walking as far as his fancy should carry him . The summer was still in a splendid mood , and the hot and quiet day -- it was a Sunday -- seemed to constitute a deep , silent smile on the face of nature .