eight o'clock
in the morning
`` Because my work was too heavy . '' `` You are afraid of work ? '' `` No , when it is not too hard ; it was at his office , and left me no time to work for myself . I was obliged to reach his office at eight o'clock in the morning , breakfast there , and did not leave until seven to dine with my mother at the Batignolles . I had an hour and a half for that ; at half-past eight I had to return , and stay until ten or half-past . In accepting this position I believed that I should be able to finish my education , interrupted by the death of my father , and to study law and become something better than a miserable clerk of a business man . It was impossible with Monsieur Caffie , so I left him , and this was the only reason why we separated . ''