one o’clock precisely
There was something in the air , he felt , which he did not understand . He would not have admitted it to himself , but he more than half divined the truth . The vacant seat in his wife 's carriage was filled that night by the Baron de Grost . At one o'clock precisely Monsieur de Lamborne returned to his house and heard with well-simulated interest that Monsieur le Baron de Grost awaited his arrival in the library . He found De Grost gazing with obvious respect at the ponderous safe let into the wall . `` A very fine affair -- this , '' he remarked , motioning with his head toward it . `` The best of its kind , '' Monsieur de Lamborne admitted .