about seven o’clock
It was longer than ordinary wooden legs , as indeed the capitaine was longer than ordinary men ; but nevertheless it never seemed in any way to impede the rigid punctilious propriety of his movements . It was never in his way as wooden legs usually are in the way of their wearers . And then to render it more illustrious it had round its middle , round the calf of the leg we may so say , a band of bright brass which shone like burnished gold . It had been the capitaine 's custom , now for some years past , to retire every evening at about seven o'clock into the sanctum sanctorum of Madame Bauche 's habitation , the dark little private sitting-room in which she made out her bills and calculated her profits , and there regale himself in her presence -- and indeed at her expense , for the items never appeared in the bill -- with coffee and cognac . I have said that there was never eating or drinking at the establishment after the regular dinner-hours ; but in so saying I spoke of the world at large . Nothing further was allowed in the way of trade ; but in the way of friendship so much was now-a-days always allowed to the capitaine . It was at these moments that Madame Bauche discussed her private affairs , and asked for and received advice .