第46章

Amysteriousmovementwasgoingonatacertaindistance。

Itwasevidentthatthecriticalmomentwasapproaching。Asonthepreviousevening，thesentinelshadcomein；butthistimeallhadcome。

Thebarricadewasstrongerthanontheoccasionofthefirstattack。

Sincethedepartureofthefive，theyhadincreaseditsheightstillfurther。

OntheadviceofthesentinelwhohadexaminedtheregionoftheHalles，Enjolras，forfearofasurpriseintherear，cametoaseriousdecision。HehadthesmallgutoftheMondetourlane，whichhadbeenleftopenuptothattime，barricaded。Forthispurpose，theytoreupthepavementforthelengthofseveralhousesmore。

Inthismanner，thebarricade，walledonthreestreets，infrontontheRuedelaChanvrerie，totheleftontheRuesduCygneanddelaPetiteTruanderie，totherightontheRueMondetour，wasreallyalmostimpregnable；itistruethattheywerefatallyhemmedinthere。

Ithadthreefronts，butnoexit。——"Afortressbutaratholetoo，"

saidCourfeyracwithalaugh。

Enjolrashadaboutthirtypaving—stones"tornupinexcess，"

saidBossuet，piledupnearthedoorofthewine—shop。

Thesilencewasnowsoprofoundinthequarterwhencetheattackmustneedscome，thatEnjolrashadeachmanresumehispostofbattle。

Anallowanceofbrandywasdoledouttoeach。

Nothingismorecuriousthanabarricadepreparingforanassault。

Eachmanselectshisplaceasthoughatthetheatre。Theyjostle，andelbowandcrowdeachother。Therearesomewhomakestallsofpaving—stones。Hereisacornerofthewallwhichisintheway，itisremoved；hereisaredanwhichmayaffordprotection，theytakeshelterbehindit。Left—handedmenareprecious；

theytaketheplacesthatareinconvenienttotherest。Manyarrangetofightinasittingposture。Theywishtobeateasetokill，andtodiecomfortably。InthesadwarofJune，1848，aninsurgentwhowasaformidablemarksman，andwhowasfiringfromthetopofaterraceuponaroof，hadareclining—chairbroughtthereforhisuse；

achargeofgrape—shotfoundhimoutthere。

Assoonastheleaderhasgiventheordertoclearthedecksforaction，alldisorderlymovementscease；thereisnomorepullingfromoneanother；therearenomorecoteries；nomoreasides，thereisnomoreholdingaloof；everythingintheirspiritsconvergesin，andchangesinto，awaitingfortheassailants。Abarricadebeforethearrivalofdangerischaos；indanger，itisdisciplineitself。

Perilproducesorder。

AssoonasEnjolrashadseizedhisdouble—barrelledrifle，andhadplacedhimselfinasortofembrasurewhichhehadreservedforhimself，alltherestheldtheirpeace。Aseriesoffaint，sharpnoisesresoundedconfusedlyalongthewallofpaving—stones。

Itwasthemencockingtheirguns。

Moreover，theirattitudeswereprouder，moreconfidentthanever；

theexcessofsacrificestrengthens；theynolongercherishedanyhope，buttheyhaddespair，despair，——thelastweapon，whichsometimesgivesvictory；Virgilhassaidso。Supremeresourcesspringfromextremeresolutions。Toembarkindeathissometimesthemeansofescapingashipwreck；andthelidofthecoffinbecomesaplankofsafety。

Asontheprecedingevening，theattentionofallwasdirected，wemightalmostsayleanedupon，theendofthestreet，nowlightedupandvisible。

Theyhadnotlongtowait。AstirbegandistinctlyintheSaint—Leuquarter，butitdidnotresemblethemovementofthefirstattack。

Aclashingofchains，theuneasyjoltingofamass，theclickofbrassskippingalongthepavement，asortofsolemnuproar，announcedthatsomesinisterconstructionofironwasapproaching。

Therearoseatremorinthebosomsofthesepeacefuloldstreets，piercedandbuiltforthefertilecirculationofinterestsandideas，andwhicharenotmadeforthehorriblerumbleofthewheelsofwar。

Thefixityofeyeinallthecombatantsupontheextremityofthestreetbecameferocious。

Acannonmadeitsappearance。

Artillery—menwerepushingthepiece；itwasinfiringtrim；

thefore—carriagehadbeendetached；twoupheldthegun—carriage，fourwereatthewheels；othersfollowedwiththecaisson。

Theycouldseethesmokeoftheburninglint—stock。

"Fire！"shoutedEnjolras。

Thewholebarricadefired，thereportwasterrible；anavalancheofsmokecoveredandeffacedbothcannonandmen；afterafewseconds，theclouddispersed，andthecannonandmenre—appeared；thegun—crewhadjustfinishedrollingitslowly，correctly，withouthaste，intopositionfacingthebarricade。Notoneofthemhadbeenstruck。

Thenthecaptainofthepiece，bearingdownuponthebreechinordertoraisethemuzzle，begantopointthecannonwiththegravityofanastronomerlevellingatelescope。

"Bravoforthecannoneers！"criedBossuet。

Andthewholebarricadeclappedtheirhands。

Amomentlater，squarelyplantedintheverymiddleofthestreet，astrideofthegutter，thepiecewasreadyforaction。Aformidablepairofjawsyawnedonthebarricade。

"Come，merrilynow！"ejaculatedCourfeyrac。"That’sthebrutalpartofit。Afterthefilliponthenose，theblowfromthefist。

Thearmyisreachingoutitsbigpawtous。Thebarricadeisgoingtobeseverelyshakenup。Thefusilladetries，thecannontakes。"

"Itisapieceofeight，newmodel，brass，"addedCombeferre。

"Thosepiecesareliabletoburstassoonastheproportionoftenpartsoftintoonehundredofbrassisexceeded。Theexcessoftinrendersthemtootender。Thenitcomestopassthattheyhavecavesandchamberswhenlookedatfromtheventhole。Inordertoobviatethisdanger，andtorenderitpossibletoforcethecharge，itmaybecomenecessarytoreturntotheprocessofthefourteenthcentury，hooping，andtoencirclethepieceontheoutsidewithaseriesofunweldedsteelbands，fromthebreechtothetrunnions。

Inthemeantime，theyremedythisdefectasbesttheymay；

theymanagetodiscoverwheretheholesarelocatedintheventofacannon，bymeansofasearcher。Butthereisabettermethod，withGribeauval’smovablestar。"

"Inthesixteenthcentury，"remarkedBossuet，"theyusedtoriflecannon。"

"Yes，"repliedCombeferre，"thataugmentstheprojectileforce，butdiminishestheaccuracyofthefiring。Infiringatshortrange，thetrajectoryisnotasrigidascouldbedesired，theparabolaisexaggerated，thelineoftheprojectileisnolongersufficientlyrectilineartoallowofitsstrikinginterveningobjects，whichis，nevertheless，anecessityofbattle，theimportanceofwhichincreaseswiththeproximityoftheenemyandtheprecipitationofthedischarge。

Thisdefectofthetensionofthecurveoftheprojectileintherifledcannonofthesixteenthcenturyarosefromthesmallnessofthecharge；smallchargesforthatsortofengineareimposedbytheballisticnecessities，such，forinstance，asthepreservationofthegun—carriage。Inshort，thatdespot，thecannon，cannotdoallthatitdesires；forceisagreatweakness。Acannon—ballonlytravelssixhundredleaguesanhour；lighttravelsseventythousandleaguesasecond。SuchisthesuperiorityofJesusChristoverNapoleon。"

"Reloadyourguns，"saidEnjolras。

Howwasthecasingofthebarricadegoingtobehaveunderthecannon—balls？Wouldtheyeffectabreach？Thatwasthequestion。

Whiletheinsurgentswerereloadingtheirguns，theartillery—menwereloadingthecannon。

Theanxietyintheredoubtwasprofound。

Theshotspedthereportburstforth。

"Present！"shoutedajoyousvoice。

AndGavrocheflunghimselfintothebarricadejustastheballdashedagainstit。

HecamefromthedirectionoftheRueduCygne，andhehadnimblyclimbedovertheauxiliarybarricadewhichfrontedonthelabyrinthoftheRuedelaPetiteTruanderie。

Gavrocheproducedagreatersensationinthebarricadethanthecannon—ball。

Theballburieditselfinthemassofrubbish。Atthemosttherewasanomnibuswheelbroken，andtheoldAnceaucartwasdemolished。

Onseeingthis，thebarricadeburstintoalaugh。

"Goon！"shoutedBossuettotheartillerists。

CHAPTERVIII

THEARTILLERY—MENCOMPELPEOPLETOTAKETHEMSERIOUSLY

ThetflockedroundGavroche。Buthehadnotimetotellanything。

Mariusdrewhimasidewithashudder。

"Whatareyoudoinghere？"

"Hullo！"saidthechild，"whatareyoudoinghereyourself？"

AndhestaredatMariusintentlywithhisepiceffrontery。

Hiseyesgrewlargerwiththeproudlightwithinthem。

ItwaswithanaccentofseveritythatMariuscontinued:

"Whotoldyoutocomeback？Didyoudelivermyletterattheaddress？"

Gavrochewasnotwithoutsomecompunctionsinthematterofthatletter。Inhishastetoreturntothebarricade，hehadgotridofitratherthandeliveredit。Hewasforcedtoacknowledgetohimselfthathehadconfideditratherlightlytothatstrangerwhosefacehehadnotbeenabletomakeout。Itistruethatthemanwasbareheaded，butthatwasnotsufficient。Inshort，hehadbeenadministeringtohimselflittleinwardremonstrancesandhefearedMarius’reproaches。Inordertoextricatehimselffromthepredicament，hetookthesimplestcourse；heliedabominably。

"Citizen，Ideliveredthelettertotheporter。Theladywasasleep。

Shewillhavetheletterwhenshewakesup。

Mariushadhadtwoobjectsinsendingthatletter:tobidfarewelltoCosetteandtosaveGavroche。Hewasobligedtocontenthimselfwiththehalfofhisdesire。

ThedespatchofhisletterandthepresenceofM。Faucheleventinthebarricade，wasacoincidencewhichoccurredtohim。

HepointedoutM。FaucheleventtoGavroche。

"Doyouknowthatman？"

"No，"saidGavroche。

Gavrochehad，infact，aswehavejustmentioned，seenJeanValjeanonlyatnight。

ThetroubledandunhealthyconjectureswhichhadoutlinedthemselvesinMarius’mindweredissipated。DidheknowM。Fauchelevent’sopinions？

PerhapsM。Faucheleventwasarepublican。Hencehisverynaturalpresenceinthiscombat。

Inthemeanwhile，Gavrochewasshouting，attheotherendofthebarricade:"Mygun！"

Courfeyrachaditreturnedtohim。

Gavrochewarned"hiscomrades"ashecalledthem，thatthebarricadewasblocked。Hehadhadgreatdifficultyinreachingit。

AbattalionofthelinewhosearmswerepiledintheRuedelaPetiteTruanderiewasonthewatchonthesideoftheRueduCygne；ontheoppositeside，themunicipalguardoccupiedtheRuedesPrecheurs。

Thebulkofthearmywasfacingtheminfront。

Thisinformationgiven，Gavrocheadded:

"Iauthorizeyoutohit’ematremendouswhack。"

Meanwhile，Enjolraswasstraininghisearsandwatchingathisembrasure。

Theassailants，dissatisfied，nodoubt，withtheirshot，hadnotrepeatedit。

Acompanyofinfantryofthelinehadcomeupandoccupiedtheendofthestreetbehindthepieceofordnance。Thesoldiersweretearingupthepavementandconstructingwiththestonesasmall，lowwall，asortofside—worknotmorethaneighteenincheshigh，andfacingthebarricade。Intheangleattheleftofthisepaulement，therewasvisibletheheadofthecolumnofabattalionfromthesuburbsmassedintheRueSaint—Denis。

Enjolras，onthewatch，thoughthedistinguishedthepeculiarsoundwhichisproducedwhentheshellsofgrape—shotaredrawnfromthecaissons，andhesawthecommanderofthepiecechangetheelevationandinclinethemouthofthecannonslightlytotheleft。

Thenthecannoneersbegantoloadthepiece。Thechiefseizedthelint—stockhimselfandloweredittothevent。

"Downwithyourheads，hugthewall！"shoutedEnjolras，"andallonyourkneesalongthebarricade！"

Theinsurgentswhowerestragglinginfrontofthewine—shop，andwhohadquittedtheirpostsofcombatonGavroche’sarrival，rushedpell—melltowardsthebarricade；butbeforeEnjolras’

ordercouldbeexecuted，thedischargetookplacewiththeterrifyingrattleofaroundofgrape—shot。Thisiswhatitwas，infact。

Thechargehadbeenaimedatthecutintheredoubt，andhadtherereboundedfromthewall；andthisterriblereboundhadproducedtwodeadandthreewounded。

Ifthiswerecontinued，thebarricadewasnolongertenable。

Thegrape—shotmadeitswayin。

Amurmurofconsternationarose。

"Letuspreventtheseconddischarge，"saidEnjolras。

And，loweringhisrifle，hetookaimatthecaptainofthegun，who，atthatmoment，wasbearingdownonthebreachofhisgunandrectifyinganddefinitelyfixingitspointing。

Thecaptainofthepiecewasahandsomesergeantofartillery，veryyoung，blond，withaverygentleface，andtheintelligentairpeculiartothatpredestinedandredoubtableweaponwhich，bydintofperfectingitselfinhorror，mustendinkillingwar。

Combeferre，whowasstandingbesideEnjolras，scrutinizedthisyoungman。

"Whatapity！"saidCombeferre。"Whathideousthingsthesebutcheriesare！Come，whentherearenomorekings，therewillbenomorewar。Enjolras，youaretakingaimatthatsergeant，youarenotlookingathim。Fancy，heisacharmingyoungman；

heisintrepid；itisevidentthatheisthoughtful；thoseyoungartillery—menareverywelleducated；hehasafather，amother，afamily；heisprobablyinlove；heisnotmorethanfiveandtwentyatthemost；hemightbeyourbrother。"

"Heis，"saidEnjolras。

"Yes，"repliedCombeferre，"heisminetoo。Well，letusnotkillhim。"

"Letmealone。Itmustbedone。"

AndateartrickledslowlydownEnjolras’marblecheek。

Atthesamemoment，hepressedthetriggerofhisrifle。Theflameleapedforth。Theartillery—manturnedroundtwice，hisarmsextendedinfrontofhim，hisheaduplifted，asthoughforbreath，thenhefellwithhissideonthegun，andlaytheremotionless。

Theycouldseehisback，fromthecentreofwhichtherefloweddirectlyastreamofblood。Theballhadtraversedhisbreastfromsidetoside。Hewasdead。

Hehadtobecarriedawayandreplacedbyanother。Severalminuteswerethusgained，infact。

CHAPTERIX

EMPLOYMENTOFTHEOLDTALENTSOFAPOACHERANDTHATINFALLIBLE

MARKSMANSHIPWHICHINFLUENCEDTHECONDEMNATIONOF1796

Opinionswereexchangedinthebarricade。Thefiringfromthegunwasabouttobeginagain。Againstthatgrape—shot，theycouldnotholdoutaquarterofanhourlonger。Itwasabsolutelynecessarytodeadentheblows。

Enjolrasissuedthiscommand:

"Wemustplaceamattressthere。"

"Wehavenone，"saidCombeferre，"thewoundedarelyingonthem。"

JeanValjean，whowasseatedapartonastonepost，atthecornerofthetavern，withhisgunbetweenhisknees，had，uptothatmoment，takennopartinanythingthatwasgoingon。Hedidnotappeartohearthecombatantssayingaroundhim:"Hereisagunthatisdoingnothing。"

AttheorderissuedbyEnjolras，herose。

Itwillberememberedthat，onthearrivaloftherabbleintheRuedelaChanvrerie，anoldwoman，foreseeingthebullets，hadplacedhermattressinfrontofherwindow。Thiswindow，anatticwindow，wasontheroofofasix—storyhousesituatedalittlebeyondthebarricade。Themattress，placedcross—wise，supportedatthebottomontwopolesfordryinglinen，wasupheldatthetopbytworopes，which，atthatdistance，lookedliketwothreads，andwhichwereattachedtotwonailsplantedinthewindowframes。

Theseropesweredistinctlyvisible，likehairs，againstthesky。

"Cansomeonelendmeadouble—barrelledrifle？"saidJeanValjean。

Enjolras，whohadjustre—loadedhis，handedittohim。

JeanValjeantookaimattheatticwindowandfired。

Oneofthemattressropeswascut。

Themattressnowhungbyonethreadonly。

JeanValjeanfiredthesecondcharge。Thesecondropelashedthepanesoftheatticwindow。Themattressslippedbetweenthetwopolesandfellintothestreet。

Thebarricadeapplauded。

Allvoicescried:

"Hereisamattress！"

"Yes，"saidCombeferre，"butwhowillgoandfetchit？"

Themattresshad，infact，fallenoutsidethebarricade，betweenbesiegersandbesieged。Now，thedeathofthesergeantofartilleryhavingexasperatedthetroop，thesoldiershad，forseveralminutes，beenlyingflatontheirstomachsbehindthelineofpaving—stoneswhichtheyhaderected，and，inordertosupplytheforcedsilenceofthepiece，whichwasquietwhileitsservicewasincourseofreorganization，theyhadopenedfireonthebarricade。Theinsurgentsdidnotreplytothismusketry，inordertosparetheirammunitionThefusilladebrokeagainstthebarricade；butthestreet，whichitfilled，wasterrible。

JeanValjeansteppedoutofthecut，enteredthestreet，traversedthestormofbullets，walkeduptothemattress，hoistedituponhisback，andreturnedtothebarricade。

Heplacedthemattressinthecutwithhisownhands。Hefixeditthereagainstthewallinsuchamannerthattheartillery—menshouldnotseeit。

Thatdone，theyawaitedthenextdischargeofgrape—shot。

Itwasnotlongincoming。

Thecannonvomitedforthitspackageofbuck—shotwitharoar。

Buttherewasnorebound。Theeffectwhichtheyhadforeseenhadbeenattained。Thebarricadewassaved。

"Citizen，"saidEnjolrastoJeanValjean，"theRepublicthanksyou。"

Bossuetadmiredandlaughed。Heexclaimed:

"Itisimmoralthatamattressshouldhavesomuchpower。

Triumphofthatwhichyieldsoverthatwhichstrikeswithlightning。

Butnevermind，glorytothemattresswhichannulsacannon！"

CHAPTERX

DAWN

Atthatmoment，Cosetteawoke。

Herchamberwasnarrow，neat，unobtrusive，withalongsash—window，facingtheEastonthebackcourt—yardofthehouse。

CosetteknewnothingofwhatwasgoingoninParis。Shehadnotbeenthereontheprecedingevening，andshehadalreadyretiredtoherchamberwhenToussainthadsaid:

"Itappearsthatthereisarow。"

Cosettehadsleptonlyafewhours，butsoundly。Shehadhadsweetdreams，whichpossiblyarosefromthefactthatherlittlebedwasverywhite。Someone，whowasMarius，hadappearedtoherinthelight。Sheawokewiththesuninhereyes，which，atfirst，producedonhertheeffectofbeingacontinuationofherdream。

Herfirstthoughtonemergingfromthisdreamwasasmilingone。

Cosettefeltherselfthoroughlyreassured。LikeJeanValjean，shehad，afewhourspreviously，passedthroughthatreactionofthesoulwhichabsolutelywillnothearofunhappiness。

Shebegantocherishhope，withallhermight，withoutknowingwhy。

Thenshefeltapangatherheart。ItwasthreedayssinceshehadseenMarius。Butshesaidtoherselfthathemusthavereceivedherletter，thatheknewwhereshewas，andthathewassocleverthathewouldfindmeansofreachingher。——Andthatcertainlyto—day，andperhapsthatverymorning。——Itwasbroaddaylight，buttheraysoflightwereveryhorizontal；shethoughtthatitwasveryearly，butthatshemustrise，nevertheless，inordertoreceiveMarius。

ShefeltthatshecouldnotlivewithoutMarius，andthat，consequently，thatwassufficientandthatMariuswouldcome。

Noobjectionwasvalid。Allthiswascertain。Itwasmonstrousenoughalreadytohavesufferedforthreedays。Mariusabsentthreedays，thiswashorribleonthepartofthegoodGod。Now，thiscruelteasingfromonhighhadbeengonethroughwith。Mariuswasabouttoarrive，andhewouldbringgoodnews。Youthismadethus；

itquicklydriesitseyes；itfindssorrowuselessanddoesnotacceptit。Youthisthesmileofthefutureinthepresenceofanunknownquantity，whichisitself。Itisnaturaltoittobehappy。

Itseemsasthoughitsrespirationweremadeofhope。

Moreover，Co

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