Les Misérables, v. 5/5: Jean Valjean
Page 18
CHAPTER XVII.
MORTUUS PATER FILIUM MORITURUM EXPECTAT.
Marius rushed out of the barricade, and Combeferre followed him; but itwas too late, and Gavroche was dead. Combeferre brought in the hamperof cartridges, and Marius the boy. Alas! he thought he was requitingthe son for what the father had done for his father; but Thénardier hadbrought in his father alive, while he brought in the lad dead. WhenMarius re-entered the barricade with Gavroche in his arms, his face wasdeluged with blood, like the boy's; for at the very instant when hestooped to pick up Gavroche, a bullet had grazed his skull, but he hadnot noticed it. Courfeyrac took off his neckcloth and bound Marius'sforehead; Gavroche was deposited on the same table with Mabœuf,and the black shawl was spread over both bodies; it was large enoughfor the old man and the child. Combeferre distributed the cartridgeswhich he had brought in, and they gave each man fifteen rounds to fire.Jean Valjean was still at the same spot, motionless on his bench. WhenCombeferre offered him his fifteen cartridges he shook his head.
"That is a strange eccentric," Combeferre said in a whisper toEnjolras. "He manages not to fight inside this barricade."
"Which does not prevent him from defending it," Enjolras answered.
"Heroism has its original characters," Combeferre resumed.
And Courfeyrac, who overheard him, said,--
"He is a different sort from Father Mabœuf."
It is a thing worth mentioning, that the fire which struck thebarricade scarce disturbed the interior. Those who have never passedthe tornado of a warfare of this nature cannot form any idea of thesingular moments of calmness mingled with these convulsions. Mencome and go, they talk, they jest, they idle. A friend of ours hearda combatant say to him, in the midst of the grape-shot, "It is likebeing at a bachelor's breakfast here." The redoubt in the Rue de laChanvrerie, we repeat, appeared internally most calm; and all theincidents and phases were, or would shortly be, exhausted. The positionhad become from critical menacing, and from menacing was probably aboutto become desperate. In proportion as the situation grew darker anheroic gleam more and more purpled the barricade. Enjolras commandedit in the attitude of a young Spartan, devoting his bare sword to thegloomy genius, Epidotas. Combeferre, with an apron tied round him, wasdressing the wounded. Bossuet and Feuilly were making cartridges withthe powder-flask found by Gavroche on the dead corporal, and Bossuetwas saying to Feuilly, "We are soon going to take the diligence foranother planet." Courfeyrac, seated on the few paving-stones which hehad set aside near Enjolras, was preparing and arranging an entirearsenal--his sword-cane, his gun, two hostler-pistols, and a club--with the ease of a girl setting a small what-not in order. JeanValjean was silently looking at the wall facing him, and a workman wasfastening on his head, with a piece of string, a broad-brimmed strawbonnet of Mother Hucheloup's, "for fear of sun-strokes," as he said.The young men of the Aix Cougourde were gayly chatting together, as ifdesirous to talk patois for the last time: Joly, who had taken downWidow Hucbeloup's mirror, was examining his tongue in it; while a fewcombatants, who had discovered some nearly mouldering crusts of breadin a drawer, were eating them greedily. Marius was anxious about whathis father would say to him.