It was not until Sunday, the day after the massacre at Sainte-Roure, that the troops passed through Plassans again.  The prefect and the colonel, whom Monsieur Garconnet had invited to dinner, once more entered the town alone.  The soldiers went round the ramparts and encamped in the Faubourg, on the Nice road.  Night was falling; the sky, overcast since the morning, had a strange yellow tint, and illumined the town with a murky light, similar to the copper-coloured glimmer of stormy weather.  The reception of the troops by the inhabitants was timid; the bloodstained soldiers, who passed by weary and silent, in the yellow twilight, horrified the cleanly citizens promenading on the Cours.  They stepped out of the way whispering terrible stories of fusillades and revengeful reprisals which still live in the recollection of the region.  The Coup d’Etat terror was beginning to make itself felt, an overwhelming terror which kept the South in a state of tremor for many a long month.  Plassans, in its fear and hatred of the insurgents, had welcomed the troops on their first arrival with enthusiasm; but now, at the appearance of that gloomy taciturn regiment, whose men were ready to fire at a word from their officers, the retired merchants and even the notaries of the new town anxiously examined their consciences, asking if they had not committed some political peccadilloes which might be thought deserving of a bullet.

The municipal authorities had returned on the previous evening in a couple of carts hired at Sainte-Roure.  Their unexpected entry was devoid of all triumphal display.  Rougon surrendered the mayor’s arm-chair without much regret.  The game was over; and with feverish longing he now awaited the recompense for his devotion.  On the Sunday—­he had not hoped for it until the following day—­he received a letter from Eugene.  Since the previous Thursday Felicite had taken care to send her son the numbers of the “Gazette” and “Independant” which, in special second editions had narrated the battle of the night and the arrival of the prefect at Plassans.  Eugene now replied by return of post that the nomination of a receivership would soon be signed; but added that he wished to give them some good news immediately.  He had obtained the ribbon of the Legion of Honour for his father.  Felicite wept with joy.  Her husband decorated!  Her proud dream had never gone as far as that.  Rougon, pale with delight, declared they must give a grand dinner that very evening.  He no longer thought of expense; he would have thrown his last fifty francs out of the drawing-room windows in order to celebrate that glorious day.