ten
o'clock
She , seated by his side , was occupied , not in marking , but in unmarking some linen stolen the night previous . She was nine years old , and resembled her brother as much as her sister did her mother ; her features , without being any more regular , were less coarse than Francois ' ; although covered with freckles , her skin was of dazzling purity ; her lips were thick , but vermilion , her hair red , but fine , silky , and brilliant ; her eyes small , but soft and expressive . When they exchanged looks , Amandine pointed to the door ; at the sign Francois answered by a sigh ; then , calling the attention of his sister by a rapid gesture , he counted distinctly from the end of his netting needle ten threads of the net . This meant , in their own symbolical language , that their brother Martial would not return before ten o'clock . On seeing these two quiet , wicked-looking women , and these two poor , restless , mute , trembling little children , one could easily guess they were two tormentors and two victims . Calabash , noticing that Amandine had ceased a moment from work , said to her , in a harsh voice , `` Will you soon have done with that chemise ? '' The child held down her head without replying ; with fingers and scissors , she quickly finished picking out the marks made with red cotton , and then handing the work to her mother , said timidly , `` Mamma , I have finished it . ''