When, in order to keep the episode of the broken mirror for the denouement, like some crowning glory, Rougon began to describe what had taken place downstairs in the courtyard, after the arrest of the guard, Roudier accused him of spoiling the narrative by changing the sequence of events.

For a moment they wrangled about it somewhat sharply.

Then Roudier, seeing a good opportunity for himself, suddenly exclaimed: "Very well, let it be so.

But you weren't there.

So let me tell it." He thereupon explained at great length how the insurgents had awoke, and how the muskets of the town's deliverers had been levelled at them to reduce them to impotence.