a quarter to six
Suddenly , yet slowly , the opening closed . The monster was satisfied for that time ; it would not swallow another morsel , and one or two unfortunates who came late with large bags of newspapers and circulars had to resort to the comparatively slow process of cramming their contents through the narrow slit above , with the comforting certainty that they had missed that post . Turning from this point George Aspel observed that the box for letters -- closing , as we have said , half an hour later than that for books and papers -- was beginning to show symptoms of activity . At a quarter to six the long metal slit suddenly opened up like a gaping mouth , into which a harlequin could have leaped easily . Through it Aspel could look -- over the heads of the public -- and see the officials inside dragging away great baskets full of letters to be manipulated in the mysterious realms inside . At five minutes to six the rush towards this mouth was incessant , and the operations at the newspaper-tomb were pretty much repeated , though , of course , the contents of bags and baskets were not quite so ponderous . At one side of the mouth stood an official in a red coat , at the other a policeman .