They threw a long black shawl of Widow Hucheloup’s over Father Mabeuf.
Six men made a litter of their guns; on this they laid the body, and
bore it, with bared heads, with solemn slowness, to the large table in
the tap-room.
These men, wholly absorbed in the grave and sacred task in which they
were engaged, thought no more of the perilous situation in which they
stood.
When the corpse passed near Javert, who was still impassive, Enjolras
said to the spy:—
“It will be your turn presently!”
During all this time, Little Gavroche, who alone had not quitted his
post, but had remained on guard, thought he espied some men stealthily
approaching the barricade. All at once he shouted:—
“Look out!”
Courfeyrac, Enjolras, Jean Prouvaire, Combeferre, Joly, Bahorel,
Bossuet, and all the rest ran tumultuously from the wine-shop. It was
almost too late. They saw a glistening density of bayonets undulating
above the barricade. Municipal guards of lofty stature were making
their way in, some striding over the omnibus, others through the cut,
thrusting before them the urchin, who retreated, but did not flee.
The moment was critical. It was that first, redoubtable moment of
inundation, when the stream rises to the level of the levee and when
the water begins to filter through the fissures of dike. A second more
and the barricade would have been taken.
Bahorel dashed upon the first municipal guard who was entering, and
killed him on the spot with a blow from his gun; the second killed
Bahorel with a blow from his bayonet. Another had already overthrown
Courfeyrac, who was shouting: “Follow me!” The largest of all, a sort
of colossus, marched on Gavroche with his bayonet fixed. The urchin
took in his arms Javert’s immense gun, levelled it resolutely at the
giant, and fired. No discharge followed. Javert’s gun was not loaded.
The municipal guard burst into a laugh and raised his bayonet at the
child.
Before the bayonet had touched Gavroche, the gun slipped from the
soldier’s grasp, a bullet had struck the municipal guardsman in the
centre of the forehead, and he fell over on his back. A second bullet
struck the other guard, who had assaulted Courfeyrac in the breast, and
laid him low on the pavement.
This was the work of Marius, who had just entered the barricade.