a quarter past seven
o'clock
`` Till we meet , gentlemen , '' replied the other , as he bowed us respectfully to the door . `` You seem to have but a very faint comprehension of all this , Burke , '' said Duchesne , as he took my arm ; `` you look confoundedly puzzled , I must say . '' `` If I did n't , I should be an admirable actor , that 's all , '' said I. `` Why , I think the thing is plain enough , in all conscience ; Bocquin found that piece of my jacket on the ground , and , of course , the affair was in his hands . '' `` Why , do you mean to say -- '' `` That I shot Monsieur le Prince this morning , at a quarter past seven o'clock , and felt devilish uncomfortable about it till the last ten minutes , my boy . If I did not confide the matter to you before , it was because that until all chance of detection was passed , I could not expose you to the risk of an examination before the _ préfet de police _ . Happily , now these dangers are all over . Bocquin is too clever a fellow not to throw all the other spies on a wrong scent , so that we need have no fear of the result . ''