midday
Therefore , when the colonel was left alone with Sylvie his perspicacity possessed itself immediately of certain signs which betrayed her uneasiness . He saw at once that she was under arms and had made this plan for seeing him alone . As he already suspected Vinet of playing him some trick , he attributed the conference to the instigation of the lawyer , and was instantly on his guard , as he would have been in an enemy 's country , -- with an eye all about him , an ear to the faintest sound , his mind on the qui vive , and his hand on a weapon . The colonel had the defect of never believing a single word said to him by a woman ; so that when the old maid brought Pierrette on the scene , and told him she had gone to bed before midday , he concluded that Sylvie had locked her up by way of punishment and out of jealousy . `` She is getting to be quite pretty , that little thing , '' he said with an easy air . `` She will be pretty , '' replied Mademoiselle Rogron . `` You ought to send her to Paris and put her in a shop , '' continued the colonel .