ten o’clock at night
asked Monsieur Hochon , who had come out of his own house when he saw Philippe and Fario standing together . `` The genius of a general , my dear Monsieur Hochon , '' said Philippe , `` consists not only in carefully observing the enemy 's movements , but also in guessing his intentions from those movements , and in modifying his own plan whenever the enemy interferes with it by some unexpected action . Now , if my uncle and Max drive out together , they are going to Vatan ; Maxence will have promised to reconcile him with Flore , who ` fugit ad salices , ' -- the manoeuvre is General Virgil 's . If that 's the line they take , I do n't yet know what I shall do ; I shall have some hours to think it over , for my uncle ca n't sign a power of attorney at ten o'clock at night ; the notaries will all be in bed . If , as I rather fancy , Max goes on in advance of my uncle to teach Flore her lesson , -- which seems necessary and probable , -- the rogue is lost ! you will see the sort of revenge we old soldiers take in a game of this kind . Now , as I need a helper for this last stroke , I must go back to Mignonnet 's and make an arrangement with my friend Carpentier . ''