twelve o'clock
But it was an enormous sum , and no purchaser was likely to present himself . The Marquise de Longueval , dying six months since , had left three heirs , her grandchildren , two of whom were under age , so that the estate had to be put up for sale . Pierre , the eldest , an extravagant young man of twenty-three , had foolishly squandered half his money , and was quite unable to re-purchase Longueval . It was twelve o'clock . In an hour the château would have a new master . Who would he be ? Who could take the place of the marquise , the old friend of the country curé , and the kindly friend of all the villagers .