eight o'clock
On next Tuesday , a week from to-day , the king will give a ball . For two days previous to this ball you will keep your room on the plea of sickness ; this will be a sufficient excuse for your not accompanying the queen . I shall accept the invitation , but will not appear at the ball , and will await you at the castle gate of Monbijou . At eight o'clock the ball commences ; at nine you will leave your room and the castle , at the gate of which I will receive you . At a short distance from the gate a carriage will be in readiness to convey us to Oranienburg , where we will stop before the village church . There we will find a preacher standing before the altar , ready to perform the ceremony , and when this is accomplished we will enter another carriage which will rapidly convey us to Hamburg , where we will find a ship , hired by the English ambassador , ready to take us to England . You see , dear Laura , that every thing has been well considered , and nothing can interfere with our plans , now that we understand each other .