Page 2104 - les-miserables

Grantaire’s prostration; the crumbling of all things was his
lullaby. The sort of halt which the tumult underwent in the
presence of Enjolras was a shock to this heavy slumber. It
had the effect of a carriage going at full speed, which sud-
denly comes to a dead stop. The persons dozing within it
wake up. Grantaire rose to his feet with a start, stretched out
his arms, rubbed his eyes, stared, yawned, and understood.
A fit of drunkenness reaching its end resembles a curtain
which is torn away. One beholds, at a single glance and as a
whole, all that it has concealed. All suddenly presents itself
to the memory; and the drunkard who has known nothing
of what has been taking place during the last twenty-four
hours, has no sooner opened his eyes than he is perfectly
informed. Ideas recur to him with abrupt lucidity; the oblit-
eration of intoxication, a sort of steam which has obscured
the brain, is dissipated, and makes way for the clear and
sharply outlined importunity of realities.
Relegated, as he was, to one corner, and sheltered behind
the billiard-table, the soldiers whose eyes were fixed on En-
jolras, had not even noticed Grantaire, and the sergeant was
preparing to repeat his order: ‘Take aim!’ when all at once,
they heard a strong voice shout beside them:
‘Long live the Republic! I’m one of them.’
Grantaire had risen. The immense gleam of the whole
combat which he had missed, and in which he had had no
part, appeared in the brilliant glance of the transfigured
drunken man.
He repeated: ‘Long live the Republic!’ crossed the room
with a firm stride and placed himself in front of the guns

2104 Les Miserables