noon
And I rose up and slunk again into the main street and passed through the crowd and up the Rue St. Martin and by St. Merri , a dirty , ragged , barefoot rascal from whom people drew their skirts ; yes , all that , and the light of the sun on it -- all that , and yet vengeance itself in the body -- the hand that should yet drag my cruel master 's _ fauteuil _ from under him . Once I halted , weighing the risks and whether I should take my knowledge direct to the Cardinal and let him make what use he pleased of it . But I knew nothing definite , and hardening my heart to do the work myself , I went on , until I found again the alley between the blind walls where I had left the dog-stealer . It was noon . The alley was empty , the neighbouring lane at the back of the Filles Dieu towards St. Martin 's was empty . I looked this way and that and slowly went down to the door at which the man had halted in his despair ; but to which , as soon as he knew that the game was not lost , he had been heedful not to return while I watched him . There , seeing all so quiet , with the green of a tree showing here and there above the dead wall , I began to blench and wonder how I was to take the next step .