seven o’clock
before
At Nogent-sur-Marne the porter told him that monsieur and madame had started for Paris . Birotteau returned home , shattered in mind and body . When he related his wild-goose chase to his wife and daughter he was amazed to find his Constance , usually perched like a bird of ill omen on the smallest commercial mishap , now giving him the tenderest consolation , and assuring him that everything would turn out well . The next morning , Birotteau mounted guard as early as seven o'clock before du Tillet 's door . He begged the porter , slipping ten francs into his hand , to put him in communication with du Tillet 's valet , and obtained from the latter a promise to show him in to his master the moment that du Tillet was visible : he slid two pieces of gold into the valet 's hand . By such little sacrifices and great humiliations , common to all courtiers and petitioners , he was able to attain his end . At half-past eight , just as his former clerk was putting on a dressing-gown , yawning , stretching , and shaking off the cobwebs of sleep , Birotteau came face to face with the tiger , hungry for revenge , whom he now looked upon as his only friend .