midday
To be the day 's sensation of the boulevards one must possess an eccentricity of appearance conceived by nothing short of genius ; and my misfortunes had reduced me to present such to all eyes seeking mirth . It was not that I was one of those people in uniform who carry placards and strange figures upon their backs , nor that my coat was of rags ; on the contrary , my whole costume was delicately rich and well chosen , of soft grey and fine linen -LRB- such as you see worn by a marquis in the pe ` sage at Auteuil -RRB- according well with my usual air and countenance , sometimes esteemed to resemble my father 's , which were not wanting in distinction . To add to this my duties were not exhausting to the body . I was required only to sit without a hat from ten of the morning to midday , and from four until seven in the afternoon , at one of the small tables under the awning of the Cafe ' de la Paix at the corner of the Place de l'Opera -- that is to say , the centre of the inhabited world . In the morning I drank my coffee , hot in the cup ; in the afternoon I sipped it cold in the glass . I spoke to no one ; not a glance or a gesture of mine passed to attract notice . Yet I was the centre of that centre of the world .