eight in the evening
The notary , sitting in his corner , looked calmly at the abbe , saying to himself : `` The des Grassins may do what they like ; my property and my brother 's and that of my nephew amount in all to eleven hundred thousand francs . The des Grassins , at the most , have not half that ; besides , they have a daughter . They may give what presents they like ; heiress and presents too will be ours one of these days . '' At half-past eight in the evening the two card-tables were set out . Madame des Grassins succeeded in putting her son beside Eugenie . The actors in this scene , so full of interest , commonplace as it seems , were provided with bits of pasteboard striped in many colors and numbered , and with counters of blue glass , and they appeared to be listening to the jokes of the notary , who never drew a number without making a remark , while in fact they were all thinking of Monsieur Grandet 's millions . The old cooper , with inward self-conceit , was contemplating the pink feathers and the fresh toilet of Madame des Grassins , the martial head of the banker , the faces of Adolphe , the president , the abbe , and the notary , saying to himself : -- `` They are all after my money .