Until dusk, in fact, the streets presented a picture of general relief and perfect confidence.

On the pavements, the groups who were reading the proclamation exclaimed: "It's all finished now; we shall soon see the troops who have been sent in pursuit of the insurgents." This belief that some soldiers were approaching was so general that the idles of the Cours Sauvaire repaired to the Nice road, in order to meet and hear the regimental band.

But they returned at nightfall disappointed, having seen nothing; and then a feeling of vague alarm began to disturb the townspeople.
At the town-hall, the Provisional Commission had talked so much, without coming to any decision, that the members, whose stomachs were quite empty, began to feel alarmed again.

Rougon dismissed them to dine, saying that they would meet afresh at nine o'clock in the evening.

He was just about to leave the room himself, when Macquart awoke and began to pommel the door of his prison.