The insurgents, these sceptics hinted, had no doubt left the town of their own accord.

There were no indications of a combat, no corpses, no blood-stains.

So the deliverers had certainly had a very easy task.
"But the mirror, the mirror!" repeated the enthusiasts.

"You can't deny that the mayor's mirror has been smashed; go and see it for yourselves." And, in fact, until night-time, quite a stream of town's-people flowed, under one pretext or another, into the mayor's private office, the door of which Rougon left wide open.

The visitors planted themselves in front of the mirror, which the bullet had pierced and starred, and they all gave vent to the same exclamation: "By Jove; that ball must have had terrible force!" Then they departed quite convinced.
Felicite, at her window, listened with delight to all the rumours and laudatory and grateful remarks which arose from the town.