Then the bell began to ring.
"Ah! now," she said, "look, for they are really coming up the Rue Magloire." This time it was indeed so.

A crowd invaded the church, the aisles were soon filled, and one realised that each minute the procession approached nearer and nearer.

The noise increased with the pealing of the bells, with a certain rushing movement of air by the great entrance, the portal of which was wide open.
Angelique, leaning on Hubertine's shoulder, made herself as tall as possible by standing upon the points of her feet, as she looked towards this arched open space, the roundness of whose top was perfectly defined in the pale twilight of the Place du Cloitre.

The first to appear was, of course, the bearer of the Cross, accompanied by his two acolytes with their candelabra; and behind them the Master of the Ceremonies hurried along--the good Abbe Cornille, who now seemed quite out of breath and overcome by fatigue.

At the threshold of the door, the silhouette of each new arrival was thrown out for a second, clear and strong, then passed quickly away in the darkness of the interior.