midnight
Here and there among this knot of labourers , one , with a lantern or a smoky link , stood by to light his fellows at their work ; and by its doubtful aid , some might be dimly seen taking up the pavement of the road , while others held great upright posts , or fixed them in the holes thus made for their reception . Some dragged slowly on , towards the rest , an empty cart , which they brought rumbling from the prison-yard ; while others erected strong barriers across the street . All were busily engaged . Their dusky figures moving to and fro , at that unusual hour , so active and so silent , might have been taken for those of shadowy creatures toiling at midnight on some ghostly unsubstantial work , which , like themselves , would vanish with the first gleam of day , and leave but morning mist and vapour . While it was yet dark , a few lookers-on collected , who had plainly come there for the purpose and intended to remain : even those who had to pass the spot on their way to some other place , lingered , and lingered yet , as though the attraction of that were irresistible . Meanwhile the noise of saw and mallet went on briskly , mingled with the clattering of boards on the stone pavement of the road , and sometimes with the workmen 's voices as they called to one another . Whenever the chimes of the neighbouring church were heard -- and that was every quarter of an hour -- a strange sensation , instantaneous and indescribable , but perfectly obvious , seemed to pervade them all .