four in the afternoon
Finally they took the road to Wanmeeting . Isoult waited till the sound of the horses died in the swishing of trees , and then sped forward on her feet towards her lord . She knew she was near by , and would not risk time or discovery by catching her pony . By four in the afternoon she had her first view of the great castle rising stately out of the black pines and bright green of the spring foliage , warm grey in the full light of the sun , and solid as the rock it was of . In another hour she was demanding of the porter at the outer bailey Messire Prosper le Gai , in the name of his servant Roy . That clear and mild evening , fluted as April by a thrush in the lilacs , Prosper and the Countess walked together on the terrace . A guard or two , pike in hand , lounged by the balustrade ; the deer-hound , with his muzzle between his paws , twitched his ears or woke to snap at a fly : it seemed as if the earth , sure of the sun at last , left her conning tower with a happy sigh .