about ten o’clock
He nodded his head , as if to repeat that he was delighted ; that nothing could be better ; that at last they were all going to live in peace . He closed his eyes , feigning to drop asleep , as he sometimes did in the afternoon . But his heart beat violently , and his closely shut eyelids held back the tears . That evening , at about ten o'clock , when Clotilde went downstairs for a moment to give an order to Martine before she should have gone to bed , Pascal profited by the opportunity of being left alone , to go and lay the little box containing the lace corsage on the young girl 's bed . She came upstairs again , wished him the accustomed good-night , and he had been for at least twenty minutes in his own room , and was already in his shirt sleeves , when a burst of gaiety sounded outside his door . A little hand tapped , and a fresh voice cried , laughing : `` Come , come and look ! '' He opened the door , unable to resist this appeal of youth , conquered by his joy .