The hour of eight
These dependencies of great habitations are in our days disused , or transformed into irregular conservatories ; but by an uncommon exception , the black exterior of the pavilion had been scraped and renewed , and the entire structure repaired . The white stones of which it was built glistened like Parian marble ; and its renovated , coquettish aspect contrasted singularly with the gloomy mansion seen at the other extremity of an extensive lawn , on which were planted here and there gigantic clumps of verdant trees . The following scene occurred at this residence on the morning following that of the arrival of Dagobert , with the daughters of Marshal Simon , in the Rue Brise-Miche . The hour of eight had sounded from the steeple of a neighboring church ; a brilliant winter sun arose to brighten a pure blue sky behind the tall leafless trees , which in summer formed a dome of verdure over the summer-house . The door in the vestibule opened , and the rays of the morning sun beamed upon a charming creature , or rather upon two charming creatures , for the second one , though filling a modest place in the scale of creation , was not less distinguished by beauty of its own , which was very striking . In plain terms two individuals , one of them a young girl , and the other a tiny English dog , of great beauty , of that breed of spaniels called King Charles 's , made their appearance under the peristyle of the rotunda . The name of the young girl was Georgette ; the beautiful little spaniel 's was Frisky .