five o’clock
It was so unexpected . M. Benassis seemed perfectly well the day before ; there was not a sign of ill-health about him . Only the day before yesterday he went to see all his patients , even those who lived farthest away ; it was as if he had known what was going to happen ; and he spoke to every one whom he met , saying , ` Good-bye , my friends , ' each time . Towards five o'clock he came back just as usual to have dinner with me . He was tired ; Jacquotte noticed the purplish flush on his face , but the weather was so very cold that she would not get ready a warm foot-bath for him , as she usually did when she saw that the blood had gone to his head . So she has been wailing , poor thing , through her tears for these two days past , ` If I had _ only _ given him a foot-bath , he would be living now ! ' `` M Benassis was hungry ; he made a good dinner .