Page 1799 - les-miserables

CHAPTER I

SOME EXPLANATIONS

WITH REGARD TO THE

ORIGIN OF GAVROCHE’S

POETRY. THE INFLUENCE

OF AN ACADEMICIAN

ON THIS POETRY

At the instant when the insurrection, arising from the
shock of the populace and the military in front of the Ar-
senal, started a movement in advance and towards the rear
in the multitude which was following the hearse and which,
through the whole length of the boulevards, weighed, so to
speak, on the head of the procession, there arose a frightful
ebb. The rout was shaken, their ranks were broken, all ran,
fled, made their escape, some with shouts of attack, others
with the pallor of flight. The great river which covered the
boulevards divided in a twinkling, overflowed to right and

1799