書蟲1級《悲慘世界》6. 街壘

6. The Barricades

FOREWORD

It is a long night at the barricade in the Rue de la Chanvrerie. The news is bad. More and more soldiers are arriving in the city, but the people stay in their homes. This time they don't want to fight the government. Only the students are still at the barricades, waiting for the soldiers' bullets – and death.

Then a new man arrives at the barricade, a big man in dark clothes. Marius stares. It is Cosette's father, he is certain. Is he a friend or an enemy? Who knows?

Inside the tavern, Javert too waits for death. Rebels shoot spies, he knows that. Does he think about his life, waiting there in the tavern? Is the law always right? Can a criminal change and be a good man? Does Javert ask these questions? Who knows?

Daylight comes, and the shooting begins. Ratatat-ratatat-ratatat on the barricade, noise and shouting, cries and screams. Valjean saves Enjolras's life. Two men die. Valjean carries the bodies into the tavern, sees Javert. And Javert sees him. Then the shooting stops.

The rebels need more bullets, and Gavroche runs out to the front of the barricade. Come back, Gavroche! He doesn't listen, and starts singing. There are dead soldiers lying in the street. Gavroche takes the bullets from their bags and puts them into his bag. He is small and quick, and his bag is nearly full before the soldiers start shooting at him. Come back, Gavroche! He sings louder, but the fifth bullet hits him, and he falls down in the street. He moves once, then falls back. Gavroche is dead. A child of the Paris streets, his singing now stopped for ever, just another dead body in the rebellion.

Smoke from the guns is everywhere, it is hard to see anything. But Marius runs out into the street, picks Gavroche up, and runs back. He puts the small body on a table in the tavern, and cries.

It is going to be a long day.

Behind the barricade Enjolras talked to the men. 'They're going to attack again soon – sixty soldiers to every one of us. Marius and I are your two leaders. Gavroche brought us bullets, so let's use them well, and fight to the end.'

Let's kill the spy now,' said one of the men.

Then Valjean spoke. 'Give him to me. I can do that for you. I'd like to shoot him.'

Enjolras looked at him. 'You saved my life, friend. You can have the spy.'

Valjean took Javert out of the tavern to a little street behind. He took out a knife.

Oh, a knife!' said Javert. 'Of course, a criminal's way to kill. So, kill me, and be quick.'

Valjean said nothing. He cut the ropes around Javert's arms and legs, then stood up, and said:

You're free to go.'

You're free to go,' said Valjean.

Javert stared. He could not understand this.

I live in the rue de l'Homme-armé,' Valjean said. 'The next time we meet, you can arrest me. Now, go!'

Javert turned and walked away. Valjean fired his gun into the air, then went back to the barricade. 'It's done,' he told Enjolras.

Now the second attack began. The government had more men, more guns, more bullets – and one by one, the students began to die. Marius was on top of the barricade. He was one of the last men still alive, but then one, two bullets hit him, and he fell. Two great hands at once picked him up. 'Cosette,' whispered Marius, and then he went into that dark night.

Jean Valjean knew Paris well, knew its little back streets, its secret places. He used them now. With the dead or dying Marius in his arms, he ran through the back streets, watching at every corner. Night came, and the sky was full of the smoke from the guns. Valjean stopped to rest. In Marius's pocket he found a piece of paper.

Take my body to my grandfather's house in...

The address was in the marais, not far away. Valjean began to pick up Marius's body again – and a hand came down hard on his shoulder. Valjean turned.

A hand came down hard on Valjean's shoulder.

Javert stood behind him. 'What are you doing here?' he said. 'Who is this man?'

Valjean stood up. 'Inspector Javert,' he said, 'I told you, I'm tired of running and hiding. You can arrest me, put me back in prison. I ask just one thing. Help me to take this young man home. That is all.'

He's dead,' said Javert.

No. Not yet. He lives in the marais with his grandfather. Look.' He showed Javert the piece of paper.

Javert read the address, then called to a carriage along the street. They put Marius's body on the back seat, and sat side by side on the front seat.

At the house of Marius's grandfather, a servant opened the door. She gave a little scream when she saw Marius in Valjean's arms. 'It's Monsieur Marius!'

Take the boy in,' said Javert. 'I'm waiting for you here at the door.' His voice was different, uncertain.

Valjean looked at him, then carried Marius's body into the house. 'Call a doctor quickly,' he said to the servants. 'He was at the barricade and has two bullets still in him.' Then he came back downstairs and out into the street.

Javert was gone. Valjean looked up and down the street. Nothing. Nobody.

Down by the river seine, near the Place du Chatelet, Javert stood on the bridge, looking down into the water.

What must I do?' he thought, but for the first time in his life he had no answer. Valjean's words at the barricade went through his head again and again. You're free to go... free to go... free to go.

I can do one of two things,' Javert said to the river. 'I can arrest him, or I can not arrest him and say "You are free to go." But the law is the law – so I must arrest him. But he gave me my life – so I must give him his life. But the law is the law...'

And a voice in Javert's head said, You worked for the law all your life, but Jean Valjean is a better man than you are.

For a long time Javert stared down at the river, but the river gave him no answer to his question. Then he took off his hat, and put it carefully on the ground. A moment later, he stood high on the bridge, then fell, down into the dark river.

There was a splash, and that was all.