to be disturbed. Calls were sent out for mass meetings to check the wave of hatred and passion that rapidly was mounting. Somnolent, apathetic city officials began to become vaguely apprehensive. The grand jury was called to meet on the twenty-fourth. Slowly, terribly slowly, the Gargantuan creature of public opinion began to rub its eyes sleepily and grumblingly bestir itself. …
On a Saturday afternoon when September had crawled its torrid way two-thirds into October, Mrs. Daquin took her turn entertaining the Fleur-de-Lis Club. Jean closeted himself in his own room, alternately reading and taking short cat naps. He did not want to be forced to hear the rumble of chatter and gossip nor was he unaware of the shortness of his wife’s temper had he blunderingly impeded the smooth running of the carefully constructed plans for the afternoon’s pleasure. Mimi and Hilda brought him his supper, which he ate slowly as he gazed into the dusty, sere garden backing the house next door. The leaves of the corn stalks, the tomato plants, the cabbages were yellowed and dried, mute appeals for saving showers.