three o’clock
Every Sunday the latter , his wife , Monsieur , Madame , and Mademoiselle Elise Gaubertin dined with the Soudrys at Soulanges . When the sub-prefect was invited , and when the postmaster of Conches arrived to take pot-luck , Soulanges enjoyed the sight of four official equipages drawn up at the door of the Soudry mansion . Reaching Soulanges about half-past five o'clock , Rigou was sure of finding the usual party assembled at the Soudrys ' . There , as everywhere else in town , the dinner-hour was three o'clock , according to the custom of the last century . From five to nine the notables of Soulanges met in Madame Soudry 's salon to exchange the news , make their political speeches , comment upon the private lives of every one in the valley , and talk about Les Aigues , which latter topic kept the conversation going for at least an hour every day . It was everybody 's business to learn at least something of what was going on , and also to pay their court to the mistress of the house . After this preliminary talk they played at boston , the only game the queen understood .