ten past eight
The place was still not awake . Over the counters were great dust sheets . Two men only had arrived , and were heard talking in a corner , as they took off their coats and rolled up their shirt-sleeves . It was ten past eight . Evidently there was no rush of punctuality . Paul listened to the voices of the two clerks . Then he heard someone cough , and saw in the office at the end of the room an old , decaying clerk , in a round smoking-cap of black velvet embroidered with red and green , opening letters .