about noon
The fellow certainly had a wonderfully plausible and winning way with him , there was no denying that , and I saw that under its influence the slight suspicions which I had imparted to poor honest-hearted , straightforward Mr Austin were melting like snowflakes under a summer sun . Still , under all the plausibility , the delicate flattery , and the elaborate politeness of the man , there was a vague indefinable _ something _ to which I found it quite impossible to reconcile myself ; and I watched him as a cat does a mouse , anxious to note whatever suspicious circumstances might transpire , in order that I might be fully prepared for the talk with the first luff which I felt certain would closely follow upon our visitor 's departure . To my chagrin , however , I was on this occasion wholly unable to detect anything whatever out of the common , and Monsieur Le Breton 's broken English , upon which I had laid such stress in my former conversation with Mr Austin , was now quite consistent and irreproachable . He was taken through the ship and shown every nook and corner in her , and finally , about noon , took his leave . Just before going down over the side he apologised for the non - appearance of `` Captain Dubosc '' upon the plea that that gentleman was confined to his hammock with a severe attack of dysentery ; but if the officers of the _ Daphne _ would honour the _ estate 's _ ward-room with their presence at dinner that evening Monsieur Le Breton and his brother officers would be `` enchanted . '' And , apparently as an after-thought , when his foot was on the top step of the gangway ladder , this very agreeable gentleman urgently requested the pleasure of Mr Austin 's company on a sporting expedition which he and one or two more were about to undertake that afternoon . This latter invitation was declined upon the plea of stress of work ; but the invitation to dinner was accepted conditionally upon the work being in a sufficiently forward state to allow of the officers leaving the ship .