第45章

Forthesecondtime，hestoppedshort。

"Hullo，"saidhe，"it’shim。Goodday，publicorder。"

Gavroche’samazementwasalwaysbriefandspeedilythawed。

"Whereareyougoing，yourascal？"shoutedthesergeant。

"Citizen，"retortedGavroche，"Ihaven’tcalledyou`bourgeois’yet。

Whydoyouinsultme？"

"Whereareyougoing，yourogue？"

"Monsieur，"retortedGavroche，"perhapsyouwereamanofwityesterday，butyouhavedegeneratedthismorning。"

"Iaskyouwhereareyougoing，youvillain？"

Gavrochereplied:——

"Youspeakprettily。Really，noonewouldsupposeyouasoldasyouare。Yououghttosellallyourhairatahundredfrancsapiece。

Thatwouldyieldyoufivehundredfrancs。"

"Whereareyougoing？Whereareyougoing？Whereareyougoing，bandit？"

Gavrocheretortedagain:——

"Whatvillainouswords！Youmustwipeyourmouthbetterthefirsttimethattheygiveyousuck。"

Thesergeantloweredhisbayonet。

"Willyoutellmewhereyouaregoing，youwretch？"

"General，"saidGavroche"I’monmywaytolookforadoctorformywifewhoisinlabor。"

"Toarms！"shoutedthesergeant。

Themaster—strokeofstrongmenconsistsinsavingthemselvesbytheverymeansthathaveruinedthem；Gavrochetookinthewholesituationataglance。Itwasthecartwhichhadtoldagainsthim，itwasthecart’splacetoprotecthim。

AtthemomentwhenthesergeantwasonthepointofmakinghisdescentonGavroche，thecart，convertedintoaprojectileandlaunchedwithallthelatter’smight，rolleddownuponhimfuriously，andthesergeant，struckfullinthestomach，tumbledoverbackwardsintothegutterwhilehisgunwentoffintheair。

Themenoftheposthadrushedoutpell—mellatthesergeant’sshout；

theshotbroughtonageneralrandomdischarge，afterwhichtheyreloadedtheirweaponsandbeganagain。

Thisblind—man’s—buffmusketrylastedforaquarterofanhourandkilledseveralpanesofglass。

Inthemeanwhile，Gavroche，whohadretracedhisstepsatfullspeed，haltedfiveorsixstreetsdistantandseatedhimself，panting，onthestonepostwhichformsthecorneroftheEnfants—Rouges。

Helistened。

Afterpantingforafewminutes，heturnedinthedirectionwherethefusilladewasraging，liftedhislefthandtoalevelwithhisnoseandthrustitforwardthreetimes，asheslappedthebackofhisheadwithhisrighthand；animperiousgestureinwhichParisianstreet—urchindomhascondensedFrenchirony，andwhichisevidentlyefficacious，sinceithasalreadylastedhalfacentury。

Thisgayetywastroubledbyonebitterreflection。

"Yes，"saidhe，"I’msplittingwithlaughter，I’mtwistingwithdelight，Iaboundinjoy，butI’mlosingmyway，Ishallhavetotakearoundaboutway。IfIonlyreachthebarricadeinseason！"

Thereuponhesetoutagainonarun。

Andasheran:——

"Ah，bytheway，wherewasI？"saidhe。

Andheresumedhisditty，asheplungedrapidlythroughthestreets，andthisiswhatdiedawayinthegloom:——

"Maisilresteencoredesbastilles，EtjevaismettreleholaDansl’ordepublicquevoila。

Ouvontlesbellesfilles，Lonla。

"Quelqu’unveut—iljouerauxquilles？

Toutl’ancienmondes’ecroulaQuandlagrossebouleroula。

Ouvontlesbellesfilles，Lonla。

"Vieuxbonpeuple，acoupsdebequilles，CassonsceLouvreous’etalaLamonarchieenfalbala。

Ouvontlesbellesfilles，Lonla。

"Nousenavonsforcelesgrilles，LeroiCharles—Dixcejourla，Tenaitmaletsedecolla。

Ouvontlesbellesfilles，Lonla。"[57]

[57]Butsomeprisonsstillremain，andIamgoingtoputastoptothissortofpublicorder。Doesanyonewishtoplayatskittles？

Thewholeancientworldfellinruin，whenthebigballrolled。

Goodoldfolks，letussmashwithourcrutchesthatLouvrewherethemonarchydisplayeditselfinfurbelows。Wehaveforceditsgates。

Onthatday，KingCharlesX。didnotstickwellandcameunglued。

Thepost’srecoursetoarmswasnotwithoutresult。Thecartwasconquered，thedrunkenmanwastakenprisoner。Thefirstwasputinthepound，thesecondwaslateronsomewhatharassedbeforethecouncilsofwarasanaccomplice。Thepublicministryofthedayproveditsindefatigablezealinthedefenceofsociety，inthisinstance。

Gavroche’sadventure，whichhaslingeredasatraditioninthequartersoftheTemple，isoneofthemostterriblesouvenirsoftheelderlybourgeoisoftheMarais，andisentitledintheirmemories:

"ThenocturnalattackbythepostoftheRoyalPrintingEstablishment。"

[TheendofVolumeIV。"SaintDenis"]

VOLUMEVJEANVALJEAN

BOOKFIRST。——THEWARBETWEENFOURWALLS

CHAPTERI

THECHARYBDISOFTHEFAUBOURGSAINTANTOINEANDTHESCYLLAOFTHE

FAUBOURGDUTEMPLE

Thetwomostmemorablebarricadeswhichtheobserverofsocialmaladiescannamedonotbelongtotheperiodinwhichtheactionofthisworkislaid。Thesetwobarricades，bothofthemsymbols，undertwodifferentaspects，ofaredoubtablesituation，sprangfromtheearthatthetimeofthefatalinsurrectionofJune，1848，thegreatestwarofthestreetsthathistoryhaseverbeheld。

Itsometimeshappensthat，evencontrarytoprinciples，evencontrarytoliberty，equality，andfraternity，evencontrarytotheuniversalvote，evencontrarytothegovernment，byallforall，fromthedepthsofitsanguish，ofitsdiscouragementsanditsdestitutions，ofitsfevers，ofitsdistresses，ofitsmiasmas，ofitsignorances，ofitsdarkness，thatgreatanddespairingbody，therabble，protestsagainst，andthatthepopulacewagesbattleagainst，thepeople。

Beggarsattackthecommonright；theochlocracyrisesagainstdemos。

Thesearemelancholydays；forthereisalwaysacertainamountofnighteveninthismadness，thereissuicideinthisduel，andthosewordswhichareintendedtobeinsults——

beggars，canaille，ochlocracy，populace——exhibit，alas！ratherthefaultofthosewhoreignthanthefaultofthosewhosuffer；

ratherthefaultoftheprivilegedthanthefaultofthedisinherited。

Forourownpart，weneverpronouncethosewordswithoutpainandwithoutrespect，forwhenphilosophyfathomsthefactstowhichtheycorrespond，itoftenfindsmanyagrandeurbesidethesemiseries。

Athenswasanochlocracy；thebeggarswerethemakingofHolland；

thepopulacesavedRomemorethanonce；andtherabblefollowedJesusChrist。

Thereisnothinkerwhohasnotattimescontemplatedthemagnificencesofthelowerclasses。

ItwasofthisrabblethatSaintJeromewasthinking，nodoubt，andofallthesepoorpeopleandallthesevagabondsandallthesemiserablepeoplewhencesprangtheapostlesandthemartyrs，whenheutteredthismysterioussaying:"Fexurbis，lexorbis，"——

thedregsofthecity，thelawoftheearth。

Theexasperationsofthiscrowdwhichsuffersandbleeds，itsviolencescontrarytoallsense，directedagainsttheprincipleswhichareitslife，itsmasterfuldeedsagainsttheright，areitspopularcoupsd’etatandshouldberepressed。Themanofprobitysacrificeshimself，andoutofhisveryloveforthiscrowd，hecombatsit。Buthowexcusablehefeelsitevenwhileholdingoutagainstit！Howheveneratesitevenwhileresistingit！

Thisisoneofthoseraremomentswhen，whiledoingthatwhichitisone’sdutytodo，onefeelssomethingwhichdisconcertsone，andwhichwoulddissuadeonefromproceedingfurther；onepersists，itisnecessary，butconscience，thoughsatisfied，issad，andtheaccomplishmentofdutyiscomplicatedwithapainattheheart。

June，1848，letushastentosay，wasanexceptionalfact，andalmostimpossibleofclassification，inthephilosophyofhistory。

Allthewordswhichwehavejustuttered，mustbediscarded，whenitbecomesaquestionofthisextraordinaryrevolt，inwhichonefeelstheholyanxietyoftoilclaimingitsrights。Itwasnecessarytocombatit，andthiswasaduty，foritattackedtherepublic。

ButwhatwasJune，1848，atbottom？Arevoltofthepeopleagainstitself。

Wherethesubjectisnotlostsightof，thereisnodigression；

maywe，then，bepermittedtoarrestthereader’sattentionforamomentonthetwoabsolutelyuniquebarricadesofwhichwehavejustspokenandwhichcharacterizedthisinsurrection。

OneblockedtheentrancetotheFaubourgSaintAntoine；theotherdefendedtheapproachtotheFaubourgduTemple；thosebeforewhomthesetwofearfulmasterpiecesofcivilwarrearedthemselvesbeneaththebrilliantblueskyofJune，willneverforgetthem。

TheSaint—Antoinebarricadewastremendous；itwasthreestorieshigh，andsevenhundredfeetwide。Itbarredthevastopeningofthefaubourg，thatistosay，threestreets，fromangletoangle；

ravined，jagged，cutup，divided，crenelated，withanimmenserent，buttressedwithpilesthatwerebastionsinthemselvesthrowingoutcapeshereandthere，powerfullybackedupbytwogreatpromontoriesofhousesofthefaubourg，itreareditselflikeacyclopeandikeattheendoftheformidableplacewhichhadseenthe14thofJuly。

Nineteenbarricadeswereranged，onebehindtheother，inthedepthsofthestreetsbehindthisprincipalbarricade。Attheverysightofit，onefelttheagonizingsufferingintheimmensefaubourg，whichhadreachedthatpointofextremitywhenadistressmaybecomeacatastrophe。Ofwhatwasthatbarricademade？Oftheruinsofthreesix—storyhousesdemolishedexpressly，saidsome。

Oftheprodigyofallwraths，saidothers。Itworethelamentableaspectofallconstructionsofhatred，ruin。Itmightbeasked:

Whobuiltthis？Itmightalsobesaid:Whodestroyedthis？

Itwastheimprovisationoftheebullition。Hold！takethisdoor！thisgrating！thispenthouse！thischimney—piece！thisbrokenbrazier！thiscrackedpot！Giveall！castawayall！

Pushthisroll，dig，dismantle，overturn，ruineverything！

Itwasthecollaborationofthepavement，theblockofstone，thebeam，thebarofiron，therag，thescrap，thebrokenpane，theunseatedchair，thecabbage—stalk，thetatter，therag，andthemalediction。Itwasgrandanditwaspetty。Itwastheabyssparodiedonthepublicplacebyhubbub。Themassbesidetheatom；

thestripofruinedwallandthebrokenbowl，——threateningfraternizationofeverysortofrubbish。SisyphushadthrownhisrockthereandJobhispotsherd。Terrible，inshort。Itwastheacropolisofthebarefooted。Overturnedcartsbroketheuniformityoftheslope；animmensedraywasspreadouttherecrossways，itsaxlepointingheavenward，andseemedascaronthattumultuousfacade；

anomnibushoistedgayly，bymainforce，totheverysummitoftheheap，asthoughthearchitectsofthisbitofsavageryhadwishedtoaddatouchofthestreeturchinhumortotheirterror，presenteditshorseless，unharnessedpoletonooneknowswhathorsesoftheair。Thisgiganticheap，thealluviumoftherevolt，figuredtothemindanOssaonPelionofallrevolutions；’93on’89，the9thofThermidoronthe10thofAugust，the18thofBrumaireonthe11thofJanuary，VendemiaireonPrairial，1848on1830。

ThesituationdeservedthetroubleandthisbarricadewasworthytofigureontheveryspotwhencetheBastillehaddisappeared。

Iftheoceanmadedikes，itisthusthatitwouldbuild。

Thefuryofthefloodwasstampeduponthisshapelessmass。

Whatflood？Thecrowd。Onethoughtonebeheldhubbubpetrified。

Onethoughtoneheardhummingabovethisbarricadeasthoughtherehadbeenovertheirhive，enormous，darkbeesofviolentprogress。

Wasitathicket？Wasitabacchanalia？Wasitafortress？

Vertigoseemedtohaveconstructeditwithblowsofitswings。

Therewassomethingofthecess—poolinthatredoubtandsomethingOlympianinthatconfusion。Onetherebeheldinapell—mellfullofdespair，theraftersofroofs，bitsofgarretwindowswiththeirfiguredpaper，windowsasheswiththeirglassplantedthereintheruinsawaitingthecannon，wrecksofchimneys，cupboards，tables，benches，howlingtopsyturveydom，andthosethousandpoverty—strickenthings，theveryrefuseofthemendicant，whichcontainatthesametimefuryandnothingness。Onewouldhavesaidthatitwasthetattersofapeople，ragsofwood，ofiron，ofbronze，ofstone，andthattheFaubourgSaintAntoinehadthrustitthereatitsdoor，withacolossalflourishofthebroommakingofitsmiseryitsbarricade。Blocksresemblingheadsman’sblocks，dislocatedchains，piecesofwoodworkwithbracketshavingtheformofgibbets，horizontalwheelsprojectingfromtherubbish，amalgamatedwiththisedificeofanarchythesombrefigureoftheoldtorturesenduredbythepeople。ThebarricadeSaintAntoineconvertedeverythingintoaweapon；everythingthatcivilwarcouldthrowattheheadofsocietyproceededthence；itwasnotcombat，itwasaparoxysm；thecarbineswhichdefendedthisredoubt，amongwhichthereweresomeblunderbusses，sentbitsofearthenwarebones，coat—buttons，eventhecastersfromnight—stands，dangerousprojectilesonaccountofthebrass。Thisbarricadewasfurious；

ithurledtothecloudsaninexpressibleclamor；atcertainmoments，whenprovokingthearmy，itwascoveredwiththrongsandtempest；

atumultuouscrowdofflamingheadscrownedit；aswarmfilledit；

ithadathornycrestofguns，ofsabres，ofcudgels，ofaxes，ofpikesandofbayonets；avastredflagflappedinthewind；

shoutsofcommand，songsofattack，therollofdrums，thesobsofwomenandburstsofgloomylaughterfromthestarvingweretobeheardthere。Itwashugeandliving，and，likethebackofanelectricbeast，thereproceededfromitlittleflashesoflightning。

ThespiritofrevolutioncoveredwithitscloudthissummitwhererumbledthatvoiceofthepeoplewhichresemblesthevoiceofGod；

astrangemajestywasemittedbythistitanicbasketofrubbish。

ItwasaheapoffilthanditwasSinai。

Aswehavesaidpreviously，itattackedinthenameoftherevolution——what？Therevolution。It——thatbarricade，chance，hazard，disorder，terror，misunderstanding，theunknown——

hadfacingittheConstituentAssembly，thesovereigntyofthepeople，universalsuffrage，thenation，therepublic；

anditwastheCarmagnolebiddingdefiancetotheMarseillaise。

Immensebutheroicdefiance，fortheoldfaubourgisahero。

Thefaubourganditsredoubtlenteachotherassistance。Thefaubourgshoulderedtheredoubt，theredoubttookitsstandundercoverofthefaubourg。ThevastbarricadespreadoutlikeacliffagainstwhichthestrategyoftheAfricangeneralsdasheditself。Itscaverns，itsexcrescences，itswarts，itsgibbosities，grimaced，sotospeak，andgrinnedbeneaththesmoke。Themitraillevanishedinshapelessness；

thebombsplungedintoit；bulletsonlysucceededinmakingholesinit；whatwastheuseofcannonadingchaos？andtheregiments，accustomedtothefiercestvisionsofwar，gazedwithuneasyeyesonthatspeciesofredoubt，awildbeastinitsboar—likebristlingandamountainbyitsenormoussize。

Aquarterofaleagueaway，fromthecorneroftheRueduTemplewhichdebouchesontheboulevardneartheChateaud’Eau，ifonethrustone’sheadbodilybeyondthepointformedbythefrontoftheDallemagneshop，oneperceivedinthedistance，beyondthecanal，inthestreetwhichmountstheslopesofBellevilleattheculminatingpointoftherise，astrangewallreachingtothesecondstoryofthehousefronts，asortofhyphenbetweenthehousesontherightandthehousesontheleft，asthoughthestreethadfoldedbackonitselfitsloftiestwallinordertocloseitselfabruptly。

Thiswallwasbuiltofpaving—stones。Itwasstraight，correct，cold，perpendicular，levelledwiththesquare，laidoutbyruleandline。

Cementwaslacking，ofcourse，but，asinthecaseofcertainRomanwalls，withoutinterferingwithitsrigidarchitecture。

Theentablaturewasmathematicallyparallelwiththebase。

Fromdistancetodistance，onecoulddistinguishonthegraysurface，almostinvisibleloopholeswhichresembledblackthreads。

Theseloopholeswereseparatedfromeachotherbyequalspaces。

Thestreetwasdesertedasfarastheeyecouldreach。Allwindowsanddoorswereclosed。Inthebackgroundrosethisbarrier，whichmadeablindthoroughfareofthestreet，amotionlessandtranquilwall；

noonewasvisible，nothingwasaudible；notacry，notasound，notabreath。Asepulchre。

ThedazzlingsunofJuneinundatedthisterriblethingwithlight。

ItwasthebarricadeoftheFaubourgoftheTemple。

Assoonasonearrivedonthespot，andcaughtsightofit，itwasimpossible，evenfortheboldest，nottobecomethoughtfulbeforethismysteriousapparition。Itwasadjusted，jointed，imbricated，rectilinear，symmetricalandfunereal。Scienceandgloommetthere。Onefeltthatthechiefofthisbarricadewasageometricianoraspectre。Onelookedatitandspokelow。

Fromtimetotime，ifsomesoldier，anofficerorrepresentativeofthepeople，chancedtotraversethedesertedhighway，afaint，sharpwhistlewasheard，andthepasser—byfelldeadorwounded，or，ifheescapedthebullet，sometimesabiscaienwasseentoensconceitselfinsomeclosedshutter，intheintersticebetweentwoblocksofstone，orintheplasterofawall。Forthemeninthebarricadehadmadethemselvestwosmallcannonsoutoftwocast—ironlengthsofgas—pipe，pluggedupatoneendwithtowandfire—clay。

Therewasnowasteofuselesspowder。Nearlyeveryshottold。

Therewerecorpseshereandthere，andpoolsofbloodonthepavement。

Irememberawhitebutterflywhichwentandcameinthestreet。

Summerdoesnotabdicate。

Intheneighborhood，thespacesbeneaththeportescochereswereencumberedwithwounded。

Onefeltoneselfaimedatbysomepersonwhomonedidnotsee，andoneunderstoodthatgunswerelevelledatthewholelengthofthestreet。

MassedbehindthesortofslopingridgewhichthevaultedcanalformsattheentrancetotheFaubourgduTemple，thesoldiersoftheattackingcolumn，gravelyandthoughtfully，watchedthisdismalredoubt，thisimmobility，thispassivity，whencesprangdeath。

Somecrawledflatontheirfacesasfarasthecrestofthecurveofthebridge，takingcarethattheirshakosdidnotprojectbeyondit。

ThevaliantColonelMonteynardadmiredthisbarricadewithashudder。——"Howthatisbuilt！"hesaidtoaRepresentative。

"Notonepaving—stoneprojectsbeyonditsneighbor。Itismadeofporcelain。"——Atthatmoment，abulletbrokethecrossonhisbreast，andhefell。

"Thecowards！"peoplesaid。"Letthemshowthemselves。Letusseethem！Theydarenot！Theyarehiding！"

ThebarricadeoftheFaubourgduTemple，defendedbyeightymen，attackedbytenthousand，heldoutforthreedays。Onthefourth，theydidasatZaatcha，asatConstantine，theypiercedthehouses，theycameovertheroofs，thebarricadewastaken。Notoneoftheeightycowardsthoughtofflight，allwerekilledtherewiththeexceptionoftheleader，Barthelemy，ofwhomweshallspeakpresently。

TheSaint—Antoinebarricadewasthetumultofthunders；thebarricadeoftheTemplewassilence。Thedifferencebetweenthesetworedoubtswasthedifferencebetweentheformidableandthesinister。

Oneseemedamaw；theotheramask。

AdmittingthatthegiganticandgloomyinsurrectionofJunewascomposedofawrathandofanenigma，onedivinedinthefirstbarricadethedragon，andbehindthesecondthesphinx。

Thesetwofortresseshadbeenerectedbytwomennamed，theone，Cournet，theother，Barthelemy。CournetmadetheSaint—Antoinebarricade；BarthelemythebarricadeoftheTemple。

Eachwastheimageofthemanwhohadbuiltit。

Cournetwasamanofloftystature；hehadbroadshoulders，aredface，acrushingfist，aboldheart，aloyalsoul，asincereandterribleeye。

Intrepid，energetic，irascible，stormy；themostcordialofmen，themostformidableofcombatants。War，strife，conflict，weretheveryairhebreathedandputhimina

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