twelve o’clock
Morange , the chief accountant , whose office was near Mathieu 's , thrust his head through the doorway as soon as he heard the young man installing himself at his drawing-table . `` I say , my dear Froment , '' he exclaimed , `` do n't forget that you are to take dejeuner with us . '' `` Yes , yes , my good Morange , it 's understood . I will look in for you at twelve o'clock . '' Then Mathieu very carefully scrutinized a wash drawing of a very simple but powerful steam thresher , an invention of his own , on which he had been working for some time past , and which a big landowner of Beauce , M. Firon-Badinier , was to examine during the afternoon . The door of the master 's private room was suddenly thrown wide open and Beauchene appeared -- tall , with a ruddy face , a narrow brow , and big brown , protruding eyes . He had a rather large nose , thick lips , and a full black beard , on which he bestowed great care , as he likewise did on his hair , which was carefully combed over his head in order to conceal the serious baldness that was already coming upon him , although he was scarcely two-and-thirty .