twelve o'clock
It was not an uncommon thing for Urbain to drive over to Sonnay , though he generally started much earlier . On this occasion he said nothing of his real errand to his wife , only telling her when she mentioned Hélène 's marriage that Hervé continued in the same mind . Many things wanted for the house and the farm had come conveniently to his memory . He started with his groom at twelve o'clock , in the high , hooded carriage , with a pair of strong horses , which made short work of the rocky lanes about La Marinière . The high road towards Sonnay was smooth compared with these , running between belts of dark forest , and along it Monsieur Urbain drove at a good rattling pace of twelve miles an hour . Sonnay-le-Loir was a beautiful and picturesque town , once strongly defended , both by walls and a deep river which flowed round below them . There was a good deal left of the old ramparts ; the gates still stood , the narrow streets of tall old white houses , each with its court and carriage entrance and shady garden behind , went climbing up the hill to the large square where the Cathedral towered on one side , the town-hall and public offices filled up another , the Prefecture a third , and an old hotel , now used as military quarters , the fourth .