is furious looks
secured him unlimited credit. Moreover, he only worked when he had been
unable to get a five-franc piece out of Silvere or a comrade. He was
no longer "Monsieur" Macquart, the clean-shaven workman, who wore his
Sunday clothes every day and played the gentleman; he again became the
big slovenly devil who had once speculated on his rags. Felicite did not
dare to go to market now that he was so often coming there to sell
his baskets. He once had a violent quarrel with her there. His hatred
against the Rougons grew with his wretchedness. He swore, with horrible
threats, that he would wreak justice himself, since the rich were
leagued together to compel him to toil.

In this state of mind, he welcomed the Coup d'Etat with the ardent,
obstreperous delight of a hound scenting the quarry. As the few honest
Liberals in the town had failed to arrive at an understanding amongst
themselves, and therefore kept apart, he became naturally one of
the most prominent agents of the insurrection. The working classes,
notwithstanding the unfavourable opinion which they at last entertained
of this lazy fellow, would, when the time arrived, have to accept him
as a rallying flag. On the first few days, however, the town remained
quiet, and Macquart thought that his plans were frustrated. It was not
until the news arrived of the rising of the rural districts that he
recovered hope. For his own part he would not have left Plassans for all
the world; accordingly he invented some pretext for not following those
workmen who, on the Sunday morning, set off to join the insurrectionary
band of La Palud and Saint-Martin-de-Vaulx.

On the evening of the same day he was sitting in some disreputable
tavern of the old quarter with a few friends, when a comrade came to
inform him that the insurgents were only a few miles from Plassans. This
news had just been brought by an express, who had succeeded in making
his way into the town, and had been charged to get the gates opened
for the column. There was an outburst of triumph. Macquart, especially,
appeared to be delirious with enthusiasm. The unforeseen arrival of the
insurgents seemed to him a delicate attention of Providence for his own
particular benefit. His hands trembled at the idea that he would soon
hold the Rougons by the throat.

He hastily quitted the tavern with his friends. All the Republicans who
had not yet left the town were soon assembled on the Cours Sauvaire. It
was thi