"Ah! the blackguards, they're armed!" shouted Macquart.
He was about to seize a pair of pistols which were lying on the
writing-table, when five men caught hold of him by the throat and held
him in check. The four authors of the proclamation struggled for an
instant. There was a good deal of scuffling and stamping, and a noise
of persons falling. The combatants were greatly hampered by their guns,
which they would not lay aside, although they could not use them. In the
struggle, Rougon's weapon, which an insurgent had tried to wrest from
him, went off of itself with a frightful report, and filled the room
with smoke. The bullet shattered a magnificent mirror that reached from
the mantelpiece to the ceiling, and was reputed to be one of the
finest mirrors in the town. This shot, fired no one knew why, deafened
everybody, and put an end to the battle.
Then, while the gentlemen were panting and puffing, three other reports
were heard in the courtyard. Granoux immediately rushed to one of the
windows. And as he and the others anxiously leaned out, their faces
lengthened perceptibly, for they were in nowise eager for a struggle
with the men in the guard-room, whom they had forgotten amidst their
triumph. However, Roudier cried out from below that all was right. And
Granoux then shut the window again, beaming with joy. The fact of
the matter was, that Rougon's shot had aroused the sleepers, who had
promptly surrendered, seeing that resistance was impossible.
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