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region of the Halles, Enjolras, for fear of a surprise in the
rear, came to a serious decision. He had the small gut of
the Mondetour lane, which had been left open up to that
time, barricaded. For this purpose, they tore up the pave-
ment for the length of several houses more. In this manner,
the barricade, walled on three streets, in front on the Rue
de la Chanvrerie, to the left on the Rues du Cygne and de la
Petite Truanderie, to the right on the Rue Mondetour, was
really almost impregnable; it is true that they were fatally
hemmed in there. It had three fronts, but no exit.—‘A for-
tress but a rat hole too,’ said Courfeyrac with a laugh.
Enjolras had about thirty paving-stones ‘torn up in
excess,’ said Bossuet, piled up near the door of the wine-
shop.
The silence was now so profound in the quarter whence
the attack must needs come, that Enjolras had each man re-
sume his post of battle.
An allowance of brandy was doled out to each.
Nothing is more curious than a barricade preparing for
an assault. Each man selects his place as though at the the-
atre. They jostle, and elbow and crowd each other. There are
some who make stalls of paving-stones. Here is a corner of
the wall which is in the way, it is removed; here is a redan
which may afford protection, they take shelter behind it.
Left-handed men are precious; they take the places that are
inconvenient to the rest. Many arrange to fight in a sitting
posture. They wish to be at ease to kill, and to die comfort-
ably. In the sad war of June, 1848, an insurgent who was a
formidable marksman, and who was firing from the top of a

2010 Les Miserables