Nine
o’clock
ON the mild March morning when Pierre left his little house at Neuilly to accompany Guillaume to Montmartre , he was oppressed by the thought that on returning home he would once more find himself alone with nothing to prevent him from relapsing into negation and despair . The idea of this had kept him from sleeping , and he still found it difficult to hide his distress and force a smile . The sky was so clear and the atmosphere so mild that the brothers had resolved to go to Montmartre on foot by way of the outer boulevards . Nine o'clock was striking when they set out . Guillaume for his part was very gay at the thought of the surprise he would give his family . It was as if he were suddenly coming back from a long journey . He had not warned them of his intentions ; he had merely written to them now and again to tell them that he was recovering , and they certainly had no idea that his return was so near at hand .