1870 Les Miserables
dent that a great event had happened in Gavroche’s life.
It was at the most intense point of this preoccupation
that Enjolras accosted him.
‘You are small,’ said Enjolras, ‘you will not be seen. Go
out of the barricade, slip along close to the houses, skirmish
about a bit in the streets, and come back and tell me what
is going on.’
Gavroche raised himself on his haunches.
‘So the little chaps are good for something! that’s very
lucky! I’ll go! In the meanwhile, trust to the little fellows,
and distrust the big ones.’ And Gavroche, raising his head
and lowering his voice, added, as he indicated the man of
the Rue des Billettes: ‘Do you see that big fellow there?’
‘Wel l? ’
‘He’s a police spy.’
‘Are you sure of it?’
‘It isn’t two weeks since he pulled me off the cornice of
the Port Royal, where I was taking the air, by my ear.’
Enjolras hastily quitted the urchin and murmured a few
words in a very low tone to a longshoreman from the wine-
docks who chanced to be at hand. The man left the room,
and returned almost immediately, accompanied by three
others. The four men, four porters with broad shoulders,
went and placed themselves without doing anything to at-
tract his attention, behind the table on which the man of
the Rue des Billettes was leaning with his elbows. They were
evidently ready to hurl themselves upon him.
Then Enjolras approached the man and demanded of
him:—