nine
o'clock in the evening
`` There 's your scoundrel . And the situation in which he found himself was such , the fear inspired by Inspector Vérot 's possible revelations was such , that , before putting into execution the horrible deed which he had planned , he came to the police office to make sure that his victim was no longer alive and had not been able to denounce him . `` You remember the scene , Monsieur le Préfet , the fellow 's agitation and fright : ` To-morrow evening , ' he said . Yes , it was for the morrow that he asked for your help , because he knew that everything would be over that same evening and that next day the police would be confronted with a murder , with the two culprits against whom he himself had heaped up the charges , with Marie Fauville , whom he had , so to speak , accused in advance ... `` That was why Sergeant Mazeroux 's visit and mine to his house , at nine o'clock in the evening , embarrassed him so obviously . Who were those intruders ? Would they not succeed in shattering his plan ? Reflection reassured him , even as we , by our insistence , compelled him to give way . ''