And on thus emerging from the tumultuous throng they were quite impressed by the death-like silence and solitude which reigned under the little plane-trees.

The night was now paling.

A faint gleam of dawn was already falling from the sky.
After leading his companions slantwise across the square, Massot stopped them near the prison and resumed: "I'm going inside; I want to see the prisoner roused and got ready.

In the meantime, walk about here; nobody will say anything to you.

Besides, I'll come back to you in a moment." A hundred people or so, journalists and other privileged spectators, were scattered about the dark square.