half after four
Madame de Fleury laid her upon the bed , as soon as Maurice had cleared it of the things with which it was covered ; and as they were spreading the ragged blanket over the little girl , she whispered a request to Madame de Fleury that she would `` stay till her mamma came home , to beg Maurice off from being whipped , if mamma should be angry . '' Touched by this instance of goodness , and compassionating the desolate condition of these children , Madame de Fleury complied with Victoire 's request ; resolving to remonstrate with their mother for leaving them locked up in this manner . They did not know to what part of the town their mother was gone ; they could tell only `` that she was to go to a great many different places to carry back work , and to bring home more , and that she expected to be in by five . '' It was now half after four . Whilst Madame de Fleury waited , she asked the boy to give her a full account of the manner in which the accident had happened . `` Why , ma'am , '' said Maurice , twisting and untwisting a ragged handkerchief as he spoke , `` the first beginning of all the mischief was , we had nothing to do , so we went to the ashes to make dirt pies ; but Babet would go so close that she burnt her petticoat , and threw about all our ashes , and plagued us , and we whipped her . But all would not do , she would not be quiet ; so to get out of her reach , we climbed up by this chair on the table to the top of the press , and there we were well enough for a little while , till somehow we began to quarrel about the old scissors , and we struggled hard for them till I got this cut . ''