There had been a rumor that female incendiaries, had been setting fire to fancy houses and had been burning down the Bank of France.

有传言说女纵火犯们,到处放火焚烧妓院,还烧毁了法兰西银行

耶鲁公开课 - 1871年后的法国课程节选

It's that passive sense: "There was talk." Who's talking? We don't know.

这里用了被动语态，有传言说，谁传的，我们不知道。

耶鲁公开课 - 1945年后的美国小说课程节选