Thus Rougon was the only member of the Commission who remained at his post, in his presidential arm-chair, all the others having vanished as the panic increased.

He did not even deign to issue an order summoning them to attend.

He was there, and that sufficed, a sublime spectacle, which a local journal depicted later on in a sentence: "Courage giving the hand to duty." During the whole morning Pierre was seen animating the town-hall with his goings and comings.

He was absolutely alone in the large, empty building, whose lofty halls reechoed with the noise of his heels.

All the doors were left open.