One read in his face an acquiescence which recalled to me certain beautiful smiles I had caught sight of in former days on toilers' humble faces.

Those who are around me are saying to themselves, "Thus it is written," and they think no farther than that, massed all mistily in the darkness, like vague hordes of negroes.
Then officers went by of whom we did not speak, because we did not know them.

These unknown tab-bearers made a greater impression than the others; and besides, their importance and their power were increasing.
We saw rows of increasing crowns on the caps.

Then, the shadow-men were silent.

The eulogy and the censure addressed to those whom one had seen at work had no hold on these, and all those minor things faded away.