six o’clock
Their alarm was caused particularly by the great change they noticed in their daughter 's appearance ; her face was swollen and distorted , as if some evil power had transformed her in the night . But she fell asleep again , in a state of great prostration ; and they no longer stirred for fear of disturbing her slumber . They remained there watching and waiting , listening to the revival of life in the farm around them as the daylight gradually increased . Time went by ; five and then six o'clock struck . And at about twenty minutes to seven Mathieu , on looking into the yard , and there catching sight of Denis , who was to return to Paris by the seven o'clock train , hastened down to tell him to call upon Boutan and beg the doctor to come at once . Then , as soon as his son had started , he rejoined Marianne upstairs , still unwilling to call or warn anybody . But a third attack followed , and this time it was the thunderbolt .