第28章

ThepyrotechnicpiecessenttoMonsieurTuvachehad，throughanexcessofcaution，beenshutupinhiscellar，andsothedamppowderwouldnotlight，andtheprincipalsetpiece，thatwastorepresentadragonbitinghistail，failedcompletely。NowandthenameagreRoman-candlewentoff；thenthegapingcrowdsentupashoutthatmingledwiththecryofthewomen，whosewaistswerebeingsqueezedinthedarkness。EmmasilentlynestledagainstCharles’sshoulder；then，raisingherchin，shewatchedtheluminousraysoftherocketsagainstthedarksky。Rodolphegazedatherinthelightoftheburninglanterns。

Theywentoutonebyone。Thestarsshoneout。Afewcropsofrainbegantofall。Sheknottedherfichuroundherbarehead。

Atthismomentthecouncillor’scarriagecameoutfromtheinn。

Hiscoachman，whowasdrunk，suddenlydozedoff，andonecouldseefromthedistance，abovethehood，betweenthetwolanterns，themassofhisbody，thatswayedfromrighttoleftwiththegivingofthetraces。

“Truly，“saidthedruggist，“oneoughttoproceedmostrigorouslyagainstdrunkenness!Ishouldliketoseewrittenupweeklyatthedoorofthetownhallonaboardadhoc*thenamesofallthosewhoduringtheweekgotintoxicatedonalcohol。Besides，withregardtostatistics，onewouldthushave，asitwere，publicrecordsthatonecouldrefertoincaseofneed。Butexcuseme!“

*Specificallyforthat。

Andheoncemoreranofftothecaptain。Thelatterwasgoingbacktoseehislatheagain。

“Perhapsyouwouldnotdoill，“Homaissaidtohim，“tosendoneofyourmen，ortogoyourself——“

“Leavemealone!“answeredthetax-collector。“It’sallright!“

“Donotbeuneasy，“saidthedruggist，whenhereturnedtohisfriends。“MonsieurBinethasassuredmethatallprecautionshavebeentaken。Nosparkshavefallen；thepumpsarefull。Letusgotorest。“

“Mafoi!Iwantit，“saidMadameHomais，yawningatlarge。“Butnevermind；we’vehadabeautifuldayforourfete。“

Rodolpherepeatedinalowvoice，andwithatenderlook，“Oh，yes!verybeautiful!“

Andhavingbowedtooneanother，theyseparated。

Twodayslater，inthe“FinaldeRouen，“therewasalongarticleontheshow。Homaishadcomposeditwithvervetheverynextmorning。

“Whythesefestoons，theseflowers，thesegarlands？Whitherhurriesthiscrowdlikethewavesofafuriousseaunderthetorrentsofatropicalsunpouringitsheatuponourheads？“

Thenhespokeoftheconditionofthepeasants。CertainlytheGovernmentwasdoingmuch，butnotenough。“Courage!“hecriedtoit；“athousandreformsareindispensable；letusaccomplishthem!“Thentouchingontheentryofthecouncillor，hedidnotforget“themartialairofourmilitia；“nor“ourmostmerryvillagemaidens；“northe“ba