eight
o'clock
The major-domo was now at his wits ' end . He felt that in a measure the responsibility of the household rested upon his shoulders . Indeed he would have taken it upon himself to apprise M. Mauruss Mosenstein of the terrible happenings , only that the worthy gentleman was absent from Paris just then . Mme. la Marquise remained shut up in her room until past eight o'clock . Then she ordered dinner to be served and made pretence of sitting down to it ; but again the major-domo declared that she ate nothing , whilst subsequently the confidential maid who had undressed her vowed that Madame had spent the whole night walking up and down the room . Thus two agonizing days went by ; agonizing they were to everybody . Madame la Marquise became more and more agitated , more and more hysterical as time went on , and the servants could not help but notice this , even though she made light of the whole affair , and desperate efforts to control herself .