Nobody would think of accusing him of ambition,
but all would appreciate the delicacy which prompted him to take no
office save with the consent of his fellow-citizens. That was very
dignified, very noble, altogether grand.
Under this shower of eulogies, Rougon humbly bowed his head. "No, no;
you go too far," he murmured, with voluptuous thrillings of exquisite
pleasure. Each sentence that fell from the retired hosier and the old
almond-merchant, who stood on his right and left respectively, fell
sweetly on his ears; and, leaning back in the mayor's arm-chair, steeped
in the odour of officiality which pervaded the room, he bowed to the
right and to the left, like a royal pretender whom a _coup d'etat_ is
about to convert into an emperor.
When they were tired of belauding each other, they all three went
downstairs. Granoux started off to call the municipal council together,
while Roudier told Rougon to go on in front, saying that he would join
him at his house, after giving the necessary orders for guarding the
Town Hall. The dawn was now fast rising, and Pierre proceeded to the Rue
de la Banne, tapping his heels in a martial manner on the still deserted
pavement. He carried his hat in his hand in spite of the bitter cold;
for puffs of pride sent all his blood to his head.
On reaching his house he found Cassoute at the bottom of the stairs. The
navvy had not stirred, for he had seen nobody enter. He sat there, on
the first step, resting his big head in his hands, and gazing fixedly in
front of him, with the vacant stare and mute stubbornness of a faithful
dog.
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