four o’clock
But all his precautions were needless , for no attack was made upon the travellers , or any attempt to interfere with them , and they proceeded tranquilly on their way , `` without let or hindrance . '' Although it was winter , the season was not a rigorous one , and our comedians , well fortified against the cold by plenty of warm clothing and good nourishing food , did not mind their exposure to the weather , and found their journey a very enjoyable affair . To be sure , the sharp , frosty air brought a more brilliant colour than usual into the cheeks of the fair members of the troupe , but no one could say that it detracted from their charms ; and even when it extended , as it did sometimes , to their pretty little noses , it could not be found serious fault with , for everything is becoming to a young and beautiful woman . At last they drew near to the capital -- following the windings of the Seine , whose waters flow past royal palaces , and many another edifice of world-wide renown -- and at four o'clock of a bright winter afternoon came in sight of its spires and domes . The smoke rising from its forest of chimneys hung over it in a semi-transparent cloud , through which the sun shone , round and red , like a ball of fire . As they entered the city by the Porte Saint Bernard , a glorious spectacle greeted their wondering eyes . In front of them Notre Dame stood out in bold relief , with its magnificent flying buttresses , its two stately towers , massive and majestic , and its slender , graceful spire , springing from the lofty roof at the point of intersection of the nave and transepts .