12. At Jourdain’s, the large hall was crowded with diners, while the great courtyard was full of vehicles of every sort—carts, gigs, wagonettes, tilburies, traps, nameless carriages, yellow with mud, shapeless, patched, shafts pointing to heaven like two arms, or with noses in the ground and backs in the air.
13. Right opposite the diners at table, the immense fireplace, all brightly aflame, cast a lively warmth on the backs of those ranged along the right. Three spits were turning, laden with chickens, pigeons, and legs of mutton; and a delectable odor of roasting meat, and of juices streaming over the browned skin, rose from the hearth, kindled good humor and made everyone’s mouth water.
Note how the author gathers the people to witness the crisis.
14. All the aristocracy of the plough were eating there, at Maît’ Jourdain’s,Maît’—colloquial abbreviation for Maître, equal here to “Mine Host.” inn-keeper and horse-trader—a sly fellow who had made money.
15. The dishes went round, and, like the jugs of yellow cider, were emptied. Everyone told of his affairs: his sales and his purchases. They exchanged news of the crops—the weather was good for vegetables, but a trifle wet for wheat.
Approach of crisis.
16. Suddenly the roll of a drum sounded in the courtyard before the house. Instantly everyone was on his feet,Typical of their class. save a few indifferent ones, and ran to the door or to the windows, with mouth still full and napkin in hand.
17. After the public crier had ended his tattoo, he shouted out in a jerky voice, making his pauses at the wrong time:
Preparation for crisis.
18. “Be it known to the people of Goderville, and in general to all—persons present at the market, that there was lost this morning, upon the Beuzeville road between—nine and ten o’clock, a black leather pocketbook, containing five hundred francs and some business papers. You are requested to return it—to the mayor’s office, without delay, or to Master Fortuné Houlbrèque of Manneville. There will be twenty francs reward.”