ChapterEightAtlastitcame，thefamousagriculturalshow。Onthemorningofthesolemnityalltheinhabitantsattheirdoorswerechattingoverthepreparations。Thepedimentofthetownhallhadbeenhungwithgarlandsofivy；atenthadbeenerectedinameadowforthebanquet；andinthemiddleofthePlace，infrontofthechurch，akindofbombardewastoannouncethearrivaloftheprefectandthenamesofthesuccessfulfarmerswhohadobtainedprizes。TheNationalGuardofBuchytherewasnoneatYonville
hadcometojointhecorpsoffiremen，ofwhomBinetwascaptain。
Onthatdayheworeacollarevenhigherthanusual；and，tightlybuttonedinhistunic，hisfigurewassostiffandmotionlessthatthewholevitalportionofhispersonseemedtohavedescendedintohislegs，whichroseinacadenceofsetstepswithasinglemovement。Astherewassomerivalrybetweenthetax-collectorandthecolonel，both，toshowofftheirtalents，drilledtheirmenseparately。Onesawtheredepaulettesandtheblackbreastplatespassandre-passalternately；therewasnoendtoit，anditconstantlybeganagain。Therehadneverbeensuchadisplayofpomp。Severalcitizenshadscouredtheirhousestheeveningbefore；tri-colouredflagshungfromhalf-openwindows；
allthepublic-houseswerefull；andinthelovelyweatherthestarchedcaps，thegoldencrosses，andthecolouredneckerchiefsseemedwhiterthansnow，shoneinthesun，andrelievedwiththemotleycoloursthesombremonotonyofthefrock-coatsandbluesmocks。Theneighbouringfarmers’wives，whentheygotofftheirhorses，pulledoutthelongpinsthatfastenedaroundthemtheirdresses，turnedupforfearofmud；andthehusbands，fortheirpart，inordertosavetheirhats，kepttheirhandkerchiefsaroundthem，holdingonecornerbetweentheirteeth。
Thecrowdcameintothemainstreetfrombothendsofthevillage。Peoplepouredinfromthelanes，thealleys，thehouses；