ten minutes after
four
She thought of a duel , but to a man such as the chevalier appeared to be , a duel was not one of those dangers for which one asks the prayers of women ; besides , the hour named was not suitable to duels . Bathilde lost herself in her conjectures ; but , in losing herself , she thought of the chevalier , always of the chevalier , and of nothing but the chevalier ; and , if he had calculated upon such an effect , it must be owned that his calculations were wofully true for poor Bathilde . The day passed ; and , whether it was intentional , or whether it was that he was otherwise employed , Bathilde saw him no more , and his window remained closed . When Buvat came home as usual , at ten minutes after four , he found the young girl so much preoccupied that , although his perspicacity was not great in such matters , he asked her three or four times if anything was wrong ; each time she answered by one of those smiles which supplied Buvat with enough to do in looking at her ; and it followed that , in spite of these repeated questions , Bathilde kept her secret . After dinner M. Chaulieu 's servant entered -- he came to ask Buvat to spend the evening with his master . The Abbe Chaulieu was one of Buvat 's best patrons , and often came to his house , for he had taken a great liking for Bathilde . The poor abbe became blind , but not so entirely as not to be able to recognize a pretty face ; though it is true that he saw it across a cloud .