the hour of four
Rigolette 's apartment was still in all its extreme nicety ; the large silver watch placed over the mantelpiece , in a small boxwood stand , denoted the hour of four . The severe cold weather having ceased , the thrifty little needlewoman had not lighted her stove . From the window , a corner of blue sky was scarcely perceptible over the masses of irregularly built roofs , garrets , and tall chimneys , which bounded the horizon on the other side of the street . Suddenly a sunbeam , which , as it were , wandered for a moment between two high gables , came for an instant to purple with its bright rays the windows of the young girl 's chamber .