six o'clock
The Countess herself spoke seldom except to cheer the Provost 's daughter ; who , poor girl , flung suddenly out of the round of her life and cast among strangers , showed a better spirit than might have been expected . At length , on the slopes of some low hills , which they had long seen before them , a cluster of houses and a church appeared ; and Badelon , drawing rein , cried -- `` Beaupreau , Madame ! We stay an hour ! '' It was six o'clock . They had ridden some hours without a break . With sighs and cries of pain the women dropped from their clumsy saddles , while the men laid out such food -- it was little -- as had been brought , and hobbled the horses that they might feed . The hour passed rapidly , and when it had passed Badelon was inexorable .