about ten o'clock
To what agony she might subject herself by asking her daughter for the story of her life ! This reflection had always prevented Madame de Beaumesnil from questioning Herminie , heretofore , but that evening , either because the countess felt that the apparent improvement in her condition was a precursor of the end , or because a feeling of tenderness , increased by the events of the evening , proved too strong for her powers of resistance , Madame de Beaumesnil resolved to question Herminie . While Madame de Beaumesnil was silently revolving in her mind the surest means of inducing Herminie to tell the story of her past life , the girl stood turning the pages of her music book , waiting for the countess to ask her to begin . `` You will think me very changeable , I fear , mademoiselle , '' said the countess , at last ; `` but if it is all the same to you , I would prefer to postpone the music until about ten o'clock . That is usually my worst time , though perhaps I shall escape it to-night . If I do not , I should regret having exhausted a resource which has so often relieved me . Nor is this all ; after having admitted that I am whimsical , I fear that you will now accuse me of having entirely too much curiosity . ''