Saturday afternoon about 3 o'clock
It was Saturday afternoon about 3 o'clock . There was the usual scene ; outside the Gates of Bercy there was a crowd of people , and on the quays , four rows deep , carts and wagons were massed together . Coal carts , carts heaped with hay and straw , all were waiting in the clear , warm June sunshine for the examination from the custom official . All had been hurrying to reach Paris before Sunday .