nine o'clock
The duke took as strong a dislike to Riom as his careless character allowed him to take to any one , and , under pretext of serving the duchess , had given him a regiment , then the government of Cognac , then the order to retire to his government , which almost made his favors look like disfavors and disgrace . The duchess was not deceived ; she went to her father , begged , prayed , and scolded , but in vain ; and she went away threatening the duke with her anger , and declaring that Riom should not go . The duke 's only reply was to repeat his orders for Riom 's departure the next day , and Riom had respectfully promised to obey . The same day , which was the one preceding that on which our story opens , Riom had ostensibly set out , and Dubois himself had told the duke that he had left for Cognac at nine o'clock . Meanwhile the duke had not again seen his daughter ; thus , when he spoke of going to finish with her , it was rather a pardon than a quarrel that he went to seek . Dubois had not been duped by this pretended resolution ; but Riom was gone , and that was all he wanted ; he hoped to slip in some new personage who should efface all memory of Riom , who was to be sent to join the Maréchal de Berwick in Spain . The carriage stopped before the Luxembourg , which was lighted as usual .