ts and cover ourselves with glory. Listen to
me, go and have the gates closed, and don't go to bed; bustle about all
night; it will all be taken into account later on."

Pierre returned to the town-hall in rather more cheerful spirits. He
required some courage to remain firm amidst the woeful maunderings of
his colleagues. The members of the Provisional Commission seemed to reek
with panic, just as they might with damp in the rainy season. They all
professed to have counted upon the despatch of a regiment, and began to
exclaim that brave citizens ought not to be abandoned in such a manner
to the fury of the rabble. Pierre, to preserve peace, almost promised
they should have a regiment on the morrow. Then he announced, in a
solemn manner, that he was going to have the gates closed. This came as
a relief. Detachments of the national guards had to repair immediately
to each gate and double-lock it. When they had returned, several members
confessed that they really felt more comfortable; and when Pierre
remarked that the critical situation of the town imposed upon them the
duty of remaining at their posts, some of them made arrangements with
the view of spending the night in an arm-chair. Granoux put on a black
silk skull cap which he had brought with him by way of precaution.
Towards eleven o'clock, half of the gentlemen were sleeping round
Monsieur Garconnet's writing table. Those who still managed to keep
their eyes open fancied, as they listened to the measured tramp of
the national guards in the courtyard, that they were heroes and were
receiving decorations. A large lamp, placed on the writing-table,
illumined this strange vigil. All at once, however, Rougon, who had
seemed to be slumbering, jumped up, and sent for Vuillet. He had just
remembered that he had not received the "Gazette."

The bookseller made his appearance in a very bad humour.

"Well!" Rougon asked him as he took him aside, "what about the article
you promised me? I haven't seen the paper."

"Is that what you disturbed me for?" Vuillet angrily retorted. "The
'Gazette' has not been issued; I've no desire to get myself murdered
to-morrow, should the insurgents come back."

Rougon tried to smile as he declared that, thank heaven, nobody would be
murdered at all. It was precisely because false and disquieting rumours
were running about that the article in question would have rendered
great service to the good cause.

"Possibly," Vuillet resumed; "but