eight o'clock
But they did not try to argue , knowing how useless that would be . The mother lowered her head , and said no more ; she respected the will of her son , her eldest born , who was all but the head of the family ; although he was always tender and gentle with her , more obedient than a child in the petty things of life , he long ago had been her absolute master for the great ones , eluding all restraint with a quiet though savage independence . He never sat up late , being in the habit , like other fishermen , of rising before break of day . And after supper at eight o'clock , he had given another satisfactory look to his baskets and new nets from Loguivy , and began to undress -- calm to all appearances , and went up to sleep in the pink-curtained bed , which he shared with his little brother Laumec . For the last fortnight Gaud 's little confidant , Sylvestre , had been quartered in Brest ; very much out of his element , but very quiet and obedient to discipline . He wore his open blue sailor-collar and red-balled , flat , woollen cap , with a frank , fearless look , and was noble and dignified in his sailor garb , with his free step and tall figure , but at the bottom of his heart he was still the same innocent boy as ever , and thinking of his dear old grandam . One evening he had got tipsy together with some lads from his parts , simply because it is the custom ; and they had all returned to the barracks together arm-in-arm , singing out as lustily as they could .