Half past twelve
He was under arrest ! The car rushed on beneath the precipitous hill crowned by the great fortress of Haudiomont , through the narrow gorge -- the road to Paris . All three men , seated abreast , were silent until , at last , the elder of the two police agents bent and glanced at the clock on the dashboard , visible by the tiny glow-lamp . `` Half past twelve , '' he remarked . `` The express leaves Verdun at two twenty-eight . '' `` For where ? '' asked Paul .