9 A.M.
Then the struggle was who could go slowest ; now the fight is who can go fastest . Time and Bonaparte wait for nobody ; and ladies and other strong places are taken by storm , not undermined a foot a month as under Noah Quartorze : let me cut this short , as time is short . '' He then drew a little plan of a wedding campaign . `` The carriages will be here at 9 A.M. , '' said he ; `` they will whisk us down to the mayor 's house by a quarter to ten : Picard , the notary , meets us there with the marriage contract , to save time ; the contract signed , the mayor will do the marriage at quick step out of respect for me -- half an hour -- quarter past ten ; breakfast in the same house an hour and a quarter : -- we must n't hurry a wedding breakfast -- then ten minutes or so for the old fogies to waste in making speeches about our virtues -- my watch will come out -- my charger will come round -- I rise from the table -- embrace my dear old mother -- kiss my wife 's hand -- into the saddle -- canter to Paris -- roll to Toulon -- sail to Egypt . But I shall leave a wife and a mother behind me : they will both send me a kind word now and then ; and I will write letters to you all from Egypt , and when I come home , my wife and I will make acquaintance , and we will all be happy together : and if I am killed out there , do n't you go and fret your poor little hearts about it ; it is a soldier 's lot sooner or later . Besides , you will find I have taken care of you ; nobody shall come and turn you out of your quarters , even though Jean Raynal should be dead ; I have got to meet Picard at Riviere 's on that very business -- I am off . '' He was gone as brusquely as he came .