midday
There was no personage , however unexpected , no sudden change , no theatrical effect , which was not obliged to mount that ladder . Innocent and venerable infancy of art and contrivances ! Four of the bailiff of the palace 's sergeants , perfunctory guardians of all the pleasures of the people , on days of festival as well as on days of execution , stood at the four corners of the marble table . The piece was only to begin with the twelfth stroke of the great palace clock sounding midday . It was very late , no doubt , for a theatrical representation , but they had been obliged to fix the hour to suit the convenience of the ambassadors . Now , this whole multitude had been waiting since morning . A goodly number of curious , good people had been shivering since daybreak before the grand staircase of the palace ; some even affirmed that they had passed the night across the threshold of the great door , in order to make sure that they should be the first to pass in .