about four o’clock
`` What an odd little old man ! '' said Longueville to himself . `` He is so jolly and hale ; but though he wishes to seem a good fellow , I will not trust him too far . '' Next day , at about four o'clock , when the house party were dispersed in the drawing-rooms and billiard-room , a servant announced to the inhabitants of the Villa Planat , `` Monsieur DE Longueville . '' On hearing the name of the old admiral 's protege , every one , down to the player who was about to miss his stroke , rushed in , as much to study Mademoiselle de Fontaine 's countenance as to judge of this phoenix of men , who had earned honorable mention to the detriment of so many rivals . A simple but elegant style of dress , an air of perfect ease , polite manners , a pleasant voice with a ring in it which found a response in the hearer 's heart-strings , won the good-will of the family for Monsieur Longueville . He did not seem unaccustomed to the luxury of the Receiver-General 's ostentatious mansion .