flames; and they strained their ears in order to listen to the confused clamour, till at last their senses began to deceive them, and they saw and heard the most frightful things.  Nothing in the world would have induced them to leave the spot.  If they had turned their backs, they would have fancied that a whole army was at their heels.  After the manner of a certain class of cowards, they wished to witness the approach of the danger, in order that they might take flight at the right moment.  Towards morning, when the moon had set and they could see nothing in front of them but a dark void, they fell into a terrible fright.  They fancied they were surrounded by invisible enemies, who were crawling along in the darkness, ready to fly at their throats.  At the slightest noise they imagined there were enemies deliberating beneath the terrace, prior to scaling it.  Yet there was nothing, nothing but darkness upon which they fixed their eyes distractedly.  The marquis, as if to console them, said in his ironical way:  “Don’t be uneasy!  They will certainly wait till daybreak.”

Meanwhile Rougon cursed and swore.  He felt himself again giving way to fear.  As for Granoux, his hair turned completely white.  At last the dawn appeared with weary slowness.  This again was a terribly anxious moment.  The gentlemen, at the first ray of light, expected to see an army drawn up in line before the town.  It so happened that day that the dawn was lazy and lingered awhile on the edge of the horizon.  With outstretched necks and fixed gaze, the party on the terrace peered anxiously into the misty expanse.  In the uncertain light they fancied they caught glimpses of colossal profiles, the plain seemed to be transformed into a lake of blood, the rocks looked like corpses floating on its surface, and the clusters of trees took the forms of battalions drawn up and threatening attack.  When the growing light had at last dispersed these phantoms, the morning broke so pale, so mournful, so melancholy, that even the marquis’s spirits sank.  Not a single insurgent was to be seen, and the high roads were free; but the grey valley wore a gruesomely sad and deserted aspect.  The fires had now gone out, but the bells still rang on.  Towards eight o’clock, Rougon observed a small party of men who were moving off along the Viorne.

By this time the gentlemen were half dead with cold and fatigue.  Seeing no immediate danger, they determined to take a few hours’ rest.  A national guard was left on the terrace as a sentinel, with orders to run and inform Roudier if he should perceive any band approaching in the distance.  Then Granoux and Rougon, quite worn out by the emotions of the night, repaired to their homes, which were close together, and supported each other on the way.