noon
The snow lay over everything now ; the rough awning had not protected him or his wares . Agnes turned to go . The last she saw of him , as she went up the Rue Dauphine , was one broad shoulder still bending over the table , and clad in the shabby , caped coat all covered with snow like an old Santa Claus . It was half-an-hour before noon , and citizen-deputy Heriot was preparing to go out to the small tavern round the corner where he habitually took his dejeuner . Citizen Rondeau , who for the consideration of ten sous a day looked after Heriot 's paltry creature-comforts , was busy tidying up the squalid apartment which the latter occupied on the top floor of a lodging-house in the Rue Cocatrice . This apartment consisted of three rooms leading out of one another ; firstly there was a dark and narrow antichambre wherein slept the aforesaid citizen-servant ; then came a sitting-room sparsely furnished with a few chairs , a centre table and an iron stove , and finally there was the bedroom wherein the most conspicuous object was a large oak chest clamped with wide iron hinges and a massive writing-desk ; the bed and a very primitive washstand were in an alcove at the farther end of the room and partially hidden by a tapestry curtain . At exactly half-past seven that morning there came a peremptory knock at the door of the antichambre , and as Rondeau was busy in the bedroom , Heriot went himself to see who his unexpected visitor might be .