The conversation which she had held with the marquis had at last clearly
revealed the situation to her. A few days afterwards, she succeeded in
reading one of Eugene's letters, in which he, who was working for the
Coup d'Etat, seemed also to rely upon an insurrection as the means of
endowing his father with some importance. Eugene knew his department
well. All his suggestions had been framed with the object of placing
as much influence as possible in the hands of the yellow drawing-room
reactionaries, so that the Rougons might be able to hold the town at the
critical moment. In accordance with his desires, the yellow drawing-room
was master of Plassans in November, 1851. Roudier represented the rich
citizens there, and his attitude would certainly decide that of the
entire new town. Granoux was still more valuable; he had the Municipal
Council behind him: he was its most powerful member, a fact which
will give some idea of its other members. Finally, through Commander
Sicardot, whom the marquis had succeeded in getting appointed as chief
of the National Guard, the yellow drawing-room had the armed forces at
their disposal.
The Rougons, those poor disreputable devils, had thus succeeded
in rallying round themselves the instruments of their own fortune.
Everyone, from cowardice or stupidity, would have to obey them and work
in the dark for their aggrandisement. They simply had to fear those
other influences which might be working with the same object as
themselves, and might partially rob them of the merit of victory.
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