seven o’clock before
She had gained an ascendency over him by his vices . They still lingered at table , and night was falling when they escorted Mahoudeau to his own door . Claude and Christine , on reaching home , took Jacques from the doorkeeper , and found the studio quite chilly , wrapped in such dense gloom that they had to grope about for several minutes before they were able to light the lamp . They also had to light the stove again , and it struck seven o'clock before they were able to draw breath at their ease . They were not hungry , so they merely finished the remains of some boiled beef , mainly by way of encouraging the child to eat his soup ; and when they had put him to bed , they settled themselves with the lamp betwixt them , as was their habit every evening . However , Christine had not put out any work , she felt too much moved to sew . She sat there with her hands resting idly on the table , looking at Claude , who on his side had at once become absorbed in a sketch , a bit of his picture , some workmen of the Port Saint Nicolas , unloading plaster .