midnight
It appeared that he had chatted a few moments with his friend the money-changer . He returned two hours after Noguette had sounded the Curfew bell . The Brazilian bell sounds at ten o'clock . It was therefore midnight . Forty years ago , St. Malo possessed an alley known by the name of the `` Ruelle Coutanchez . '' This alley no longer exists , having been removed for the improvements of the town . It was a double row of houses , leaning one towards the other , and leaving between them just room enough for a narrow rivulet , which was called the street .