eight in the morning
The marriage of its chief editor was what is styled a Parisian event , George Du Roy and the Walters having excited a great deal of curiosity for some time past . All the people who are written about in the papers promised themselves to be there . The event took place on a bright autumn day . At eight in the morning the sight of the staff of the Madeleine stretching a broad red carpet down the lofty flight of steps overlooking the Rue Royale caused passers-by to pause , and announced to the people of Paris that an important ceremony was about to take place . The clerks on the way to their offices , the work-girls , the shopmen , paused , looked , and vaguely speculated about the rich folk who spent so much money over getting spliced . Towards ten o'clock idlers began to halt . They would remain for a few minutes , hoping that perhaps it would begin at once , and then moved away .