These were their accustomed places; they could not possibly have found better, as they would be the very first to see the procession as it came from the farther end of the church, without missing even a single candle of the marching-past.
"Where is my basket ?" asked Angelique.
Hubert was obliged to take and pass to her the basket of rose-leaves, which she held between her arms, pressed against her breast.
"Oh, that bell!" she at last murmured; "it seems as if it would lull us to sleep!" And still the waiting continued in the little vibrating house, sonorous with the musical movement; the street and the great square waited, subdued by this great trembling, whist the hangings on every side blew about more quietly in the air of the coming evening.

The perfume of roses was very sweet.
Another half-hour passed.

Then at the same moment the two halves of the portal of Saint Agnes were opened, and they perceived the very depths of the church, dark in reality, but dotted with little bright spots from the tapers.

First the bearer of the Cross appeared, a sub-deacon in a tunic, accompanied by the acolytes, each one of whom held a lighted candle in his hand.

Behind them hurried along the Master of the Ceremonies, the good Abbe Cornille, who after having assured himself that everything was in perfect order in the street, stopped under the porch, and assisted a moment at the passing out, in order to be sure that the places assigned to each section had been rightly taken.
The various societies of laymen opened the march: the charitable associations, schools, by rank of seniority, and numerous public organisations.