eight o’clock in the morning
And then he had to hold a sitting at the Grand Châtelet . Now , we have noticed that judges in general so arrange matters that their day of audience shall also be their day of bad humor , so that they may always have some one upon whom to vent it conveniently , in the name of the king , law , and justice . However , the audience had begun without him . His lieutenants , civil , criminal , and private , were doing his work , according to usage ; and from eight o'clock in the morning , some scores of _ bourgeois _ and _ bourgeoises _ , heaped and crowded into an obscure corner of the audience chamber of Embas du Châtelet , between a stout oaken barrier and the wall , had been gazing blissfully at the varied and cheerful spectacle of civil and criminal justice dispensed by Master Florian Barbedienne , auditor of the Châtelet , lieutenant of monsieur the provost , in a somewhat confused and utterly haphazard manner . The hall was small , low , vaulted . A table studded with fleurs-de-lis stood at one end , with a large arm-chair of carved oak , which belonged to the provost and was empty , and a stool on the left for the auditor , Master Florian . Below sat the clerk of the court , scribbling ; opposite was the populace ; and in front of the door , and in front of the table were many sergeants of the provostship in sleeveless jackets of violet camlet , with white crosses .