midnight
Safely arrived there at last , he made Bebelle 's toilet with as accurate a remembrance as he could bring to bear upon that work of the way in which he had often seen the poor Corporal make it , and having given her to eat and drink , laid her down on his own bed . Then he slipped out into the barber 's shop , and after a brief interview with the barber 's wife , and a brief recourse to his purse and card-case , came back again with the whole of Bebelle 's personal property in such a very little bundle that it was quite lost under his arm . As it was irreconcilable with his whole course and character that he should carry Bebelle off in state , or receive any compliments or congratulations on that feat , he devoted the next day to getting his two portmanteaus out of the house by artfulness and stealth , and to comporting himself in every particular as if he were going to run away , -- except , indeed , that he paid his few debts in the town , and prepared a letter to leave for Madame Bouclet , enclosing a sufficient sum of money in lieu of notice . A railway train would come through at midnight , and by that train he would take away Bebelle to look for Theophile in England and at his forgiven daughter 's . At midnight , on a moonlight night , Mr. The Englishman came creeping forth like a harmless assassin , with Bebelle on his breast instead of a dagger . Quiet the Great Place , and quiet the never-stirring streets ; closed the cafes ; huddled together motionless their billiard-balls ; drowsy the guard or sentinel on duty here and there ; lulled for the time , by sleep , even the insatiate appetite of the Office of Town-dues . Mr. The Englishman left the Place behind , and left the streets behind , and left the civilian-inhabited town behind , and descended down among the military works of Vauban , hemming all in .