midnight
The figures of the sum-total showed a row of 0 's long enough to allow Guillaume for once to relax the stern rule as to dessert which reigned throughout the year . The shrewd old draper rubbed his hands , and allowed his assistants to remain at table . The members of the crew had hardly swallowed their thimbleful of some home-made liqueur , when the rumble of a carriage was heard . The family party were going to see _ Cendrillon _ at the Varietes , while the two younger apprentices each received a crown of six francs , with permission to go wherever they chose , provided they were in by midnight . Notwithstanding this debauch , the old cloth-merchant was shaving himself at six next morning , put on his maroon-colored coat , of which the glowing lights afforded him perennial enjoyment , fastened a pair of gold buckles on the knee-straps of his ample satin breeches ; and then , at about seven o'clock , while all were still sleeping in the house , he made his way to the little office adjoining the shop on the first floor . Daylight came in through a window , fortified by iron bars , and looking out on a small yard surrounded by such black walls that it was very like a well . The old merchant opened the iron-lined shutters , which were so familiar to him , and threw up the lower half of the sash window .