A large lamp, placed on the writing-table, illumined this strange vigil.

All at once, however, Rougon, who had seemed to be slumbering, jumped up, and sent for Vuillet.

He had just remembered that he had not received the "Gazette." The bookseller made his appearance in a very bad humour.
"Well!" Rougon asked him as he took him aside, "what about the article you promised me?
I haven't seen the paper." "Is that what you disturbed me for ?" Vuillet angrily retorted.

"The 'Gazette' has not been issued; I've no desire to get myself murdered to-morrow, should the insurgents come back." Rougon tried to smile as he declared that, thank heaven, nobody would be murdered at all.

It was precisely because false and disquieting rumours were running about that the article in question would have rendered great service to the good cause.
"Possibly," Vuillet resumed; "but the best of causes at the present time is to keep one's head on one's shoulders." And he added, with maliciousness, "And I was under the impression you had killed all the insurgents! You've left too many of them for me to run any risk." Rougon, when he was alone again, felt amazed at this mutiny on the part of a man who was usually so meek and mild.