four o'clock
From Leuze to Soignies is a distance of some eight or nine leagues by a road which may roughly be said to be the basis of a triangle having its apex at Boisvert . After his men had hurriedly refreshed themselves , La Boulaye ordered them to horse again , and they now cantered out , along this road , to Soignes . But as mile after mile was covered without their coming upon any sign of such a carriage as Mademoiselle should be travelling in , La Boulaye almost unconsciously quickened the pace until in the end they found themselves careering along as fast as their jaded horses would bear them , and speculating mightily upon the Deputy 's odd behaviour . Soignies itself was reached towards four o'clock , and still they had not met her whom La Boulaye expected . Here , in a state of some wonder and even of some anxiety , Caron made straight for the Auberge des Postes . Bidding his men dismount and see to themselves and their beasts , he went in quest of the host , and having found him , bombarded him with questions . In reply he elicited the information that at noon that day a carriage such as he described had reached Soignies in a very sorry condition .