nine o’clock
Just tell me . '' Again she gave him a side glance to express her insidious friendship , for he was dumb with happiness sheer happiness through such nothings as these ! Oh , the Duchess understood _ son metier de femme _ -- the art and mystery of being a woman -- most marvelously well ; she knew , to admiration , how to raise a man in his own esteem as he humbled himself to her ; how to reward every step of the descent to sentimental folly with hollow flatteries . `` You will never forget to come at nine o'clock . '' `` No ; but are you going to a ball every night ? '' `` Do I know ? '' she answered , with a little childlike shrug of the shoulders ; the gesture was meant to say that she was nothing if not capricious , and that a lover must take her as she was .