about four o’clock
` Little he knows , ' was the thought of the Duchess 's young pursuer as he played with his light brown beard . But when he heard the hard cold tones which his lady 's tender contralto could assume in a business discussion , he felt that he would have to play his cards carefully . After breakfast there arrived some trunks from Paris with Spricht 's forewoman and two fitters . And at last , about four o'clock , the Duchess appeared in a marvellous costume , which made her look quite young and slim , and proposed a walk in the park . They went along briskly , side by side , keeping to the bye-paths to avoid the noise of the heavy rakes . Three times a day the gardeners struggled against the accumulation of the falling leaves . But in vain ; in an hour the walks were again covered by the same Oriental carpet , richly coloured with purple , green , and bronze ; and their feet rustled in it as they walked under the soft level rays of the sun .