noon
My homage , madame . '' And so it happened that in spite of his godfather 's forbidding reception of him , the fragment of a song was on his lips as his yellow chaise whirled him back to Paris and the Rue du Hasard . That meeting with Mme. de Plougastel had enheartened him ; her promise to plead his case in alliance with Aline gave him assurance that all would be well . That he was justified of this was proved when on the following Thursday towards noon his academy was invaded by M. de Kercadiou . Gilles , the boy , brought him word of it , and breaking off at once the lesson upon which he was engaged , he pulled off his mask , and went as he was -- in a chamois waistcoat buttoned to the chin and with his foil under his arm to the modest salon below , where his godfather awaited him . The florid little Lord of Gavrillac stood almost defiantly to receive him . `` I have been over-persuaded to forgive you , '' he announced aggressively , seeming thereby to imply that he consented to this merely so as to put an end to tiresome importunities .