Two o'clock
It was reached by an ante-chamber , furnished with four old chairs . In the office , properly so called , surrounded by shelves furnished with paper boxes , containing documents belonging to the clients of the notary , five young men , bending over desks of black wood , laughed , talked , or scribbled incessantly . An adjoining room , in which usually remained the head clerk , then an empty room , which , for the sake of secrecy , separated the notary 's sanctum from the other offices , such was this laboratory of all kinds and sorts . Two o'clock had just struck by an old cuckoo clock , placed between the two windows of the office ; agitation seemed to reign among the clerks , which some fragments of their conversation will explain . `` Certainly , if any one had told me that Francois Germain was a thief , '' said one of the young men , `` I should have answered , ` You are a liar ! ' '' `` And I ! '' `` And I also ! ''