five o’clock
At this moment the town of Saumur was more excited about the dinner given by Grandet to the Cruchots than it had been the night before at the sale of his vintage , though that constituted a crime of high-treason against the whole wine-growing community . If the politic old miser had given his dinner from the same idea that cost the dog of Alcibiades his tail , he might perhaps have been called a great man ; but the fact is , considering himself superior to a community which he could trick on all occasions , he paid very little heed to what Saumur might say . The des Grassins soon learned the facts of the failure and the violent death of Guillaume Grandet , and they determined to go to their client 's house that very evening to commiserate his misfortune and show him some marks of friendship , with a view of ascertaining the motives which had led him to invite the Cruchots to dinner . At precisely five o'clock Monsieur C. de Bonfons and his uncle the notary arrived in their Sunday clothes . The party sat down to table and began to dine with good appetites . Grandet was grave , Charles silent , Eugenie dumb , and Madame Grandet did not say more than usual ; so that the dinner was , very properly , a repast of condolence . When they rose from table Charles said to his aunt and uncle , -- `` Will you permit me to retire ?