Every evening the same men came to join in the same propaganda in favour of the establishment of a monarchy, while the master of the house approved and aided them with as much zeal as in the past.

Eugene had left Plassans on May 1.

A few days later, the yellow drawing-room was in raptures.

The gossips were discussing the letter of the President of the Republic to General Oudinot, in which the siege of Rome had been decided upon.

This letter was regarded as a brilliant victory, due to the firm demeanour of the reactionary party.
Since 1848 the Chambers had been discussing the Roman question; but it had been reserved for a Bonaparte to stifle a rising Republic by an act of intervention which France, if free, would never have countenanced.
The marquis declared, however, that one could not better promote the cause of legitimacy, and Vuillet wrote a superb article on the matter.
The enthusiasm became unbounded when, a month later, Commander Sicardot entered the Rougons' house one evening and announced to the company that the French army was fighting under the walls of Rome.