By this expedient, Aristide devised a glorious return for himself on the morrow of battle, in the shape of a laudatory article on the victors.

On the following day he showed himself to the whole town, with his arm in a sling.

His mother, frightened by the notice in the paper, hastily called upon him, but he refused to show her his hand, and spoke with a bitterness which enlightened the old woman.
"It won't be anything," she said in a reassuring and somewhat sarcastic tone, as she was leaving.

"You only want a little rest." It was no doubt owing to this pretended accident, and the sub-prefect's departure, that the "Independant" was not interfered with, like most of the democratic papers of the departments.
The 4th day of the month proved comparatively quiet at Plassans.

In the evening there was a public demonstration which the mere appearance of the gendarmes sufficed to disperse.