noon
And Mme. Cantinet was afflicted with two sore troubles which enabled the lawyer to use her as a blind and involuntary agent . Cantinet junior , a stage-struck youth , had deserted the paths of the Church and turned his back on the prospect of one day becoming a beadle , to make his _ debut _ among the supernumeraries of the Cirque-Olympique ; he was leading a wild life , breaking his mother 's heart and draining her purse by frequent forced loans . Cantinet senior , much addicted to spirituous liquors and idleness , had , in fact , been driven to retire from business by those two failings . So far from reforming , the incorrigible offender had found scope in his new occupation for the indulgence of both cravings ; he did nothing , and he drank with drivers of wedding-coaches , with the undertaker 's men at funerals , with poor folk relieved by the vicar , till his morning 's occupation was set forth in rubric on his countenance by noon . Mme. Cantinet saw no prospect but want in her old age , and yet she had brought her husband twelve thousand francs , she said . The tale of her woes related for the hundredth time suggested an idea to Dr. Poulain . Once introduce her into the old bachelor 's quarters , and it would be easy by her means to establish Mme. Sauvage there as working housekeeper .