Part 4 Book 14 Chapter 4 The Barrel of Powder

Marius, still concealed¹ in the turn of the Rue² Mondetour, had witnessed, shuddering³ and irresolute⁴, the first phase of the combat. But he had not long been able to resist that mysterious and sovereign vertigo⁵ which may be designated as the call of the abyss. In the presence of the imminence⁶ of the peril⁷, in the presence of the death of M. Mabeuf, that melancholy⁸ enigma⁹, in the presence of Bahorel killed, and Courfeyrac shouting: "Follow me!" of that child threatened, of his friends to succor¹⁰ or to avenge¹¹, all hesitation¹² had vanished, and he had flung himself into the conflict, his two pistols in hand. With his first shot he had saved Gavroche, and with the second delivered Courfeyrac.

Amid the sound of the shots, amid the cries of the assaulted guards, the assailants had climbed the entrenchment¹³, on whose summit Municipal Guards, soldiers of the line and National Guards from the suburbs could now be seen, gun in hand, rearing themselves to more than half the height of their bodies.

They already covered more than two-thirds of the barrier, but they did not leap into the enclosure, as though wavering in the fear of some trap. They gazed into the dark barricade¹⁴ as one would gaze into a lion's den¹⁵. The light of the torch illuminated¹⁶ only their bayonets, their bear-skin caps, and the upper part of their uneasy and angry faces.

Marius had no longer any weapons; he had flung away his discharged pistols after firing them; but he had caught sight of the barrel of powder in the tap-room, near the door.

As he turned half round, gazing in that direction, a soldier took aim at him. At the moment when the soldier was sighting Marius, a hand was laid on the muzzle¹⁷ of the gun and obstructed¹⁸ it. This was done by some one who had darted¹⁹ forward,--the young workman in velvet²⁰ trousers. The shot sped, traversed the hand and possibly, also, the workman, since he fell, but the ball did not strike Marius. All this, which was rather to be apprehended²¹ than seen through the smoke, Marius, who was entering the tap-room, hardly noticed. Still, he had, in a confused way, perceived that gun-barrel aimed at him, and the hand which had blocked it, and he had heard the discharge. But in moments like this, the things which one sees vacillate and are precipitated²², and one pauses for nothing. One feels obscurely impelled²³ towards more darkness still, and all is cloud.

The insurgents²⁴, surprised but not terrified, had rallied. Enjolras had shouted: "Wait! Don't fire at random²⁵!" In the first confusion, they might, in fact, wound each other. The majority of them had ascended²⁶ to the window on the first story and to the attic²⁷ windows, whence they commanded the assailants.

The most determined²⁸, with Enjolras, Courfeyrac, Jean Prouvaire, and Combeferre, had proudly placed themselves with their backs against the houses at the rear, unsheltered and facing the ranks of soldiers and guards who crowned the barricade.

All this was accomplished²⁹ without haste, with that strange and threatening gravity which precedes engagements. They took aim, point blank, on both sides: they were so close that they could talk together without raising their voices.

When they had reached this point where the spark is on the brink³⁰ of darting³¹ forth³², an officer in a gorget extended his sword and said:--

"Lay down your arms!"

"Fire!" replied Enjolras.

The two discharges took place at the same moment, and all disappeared in smoke.

An acrid³³ and stifling³⁴ smoke in which dying and wounded lay with weak, dull groans³⁵. When the smoke cleared away, the combatants on both sides could be seen to be thinned out, but still in the same positions, reloading in silence. All at once, a thundering voice was heard, shouting:--

"Be off with you, or I'll blow up the barricade!"

All turned in the direction whence the voice proceeded.

Marius had entered the tap-room, and had seized the barrel of powder, then he had taken advantage of the smoke, and the sort of obscure mist which filled the entrenched³⁶ enclosure, to glide³⁷ along the barricade as far as that cage of paving-stones where the torch was fixed³⁸. To tear it from the torch, to replace it by the barrel of powder, to thrust the pile of stones under the barrel, which was instantly staved in, with a sort of horrible obedience,--all this had cost Marius but the time necessary to stoop and rise again; and now all, National Guards, Municipal Guards, officers, soldiers, huddled³⁹ at the other extremity⁴⁰ of the barricade, gazed stupidly at him, as he stood with his foot on the stones, his torch in his hand, his haughty⁴¹ face illuminated by a fatal resolution, drooping⁴² the flame of the torch towards that redoubtable⁴³ pile where they could make out the broken barrel of powder, and giving vent⁴⁴ to that startling cry:--

"Be off with you, or I'll blow up the barricade!"

Marius on that barricade after the octogenarian was the vision of the young revolution after the apparition⁴⁵ of the old.

"Blow up the barricade!" said a sergeant⁴⁶, "and yourself with it!"

Marius retorted: "And myself also."

And he dropped the torch towards the barrel of powder.

But there was no longer any one on the barrier. The assailants, abandoning their dead and wounded, flowed back pell-mell and in disorder⁴⁷ towards the extremity of the street, and there were again lost in the night. It was a headlong flight.

The barricade was free.

马吕斯原来一直躲在蒙德都街的转角处，目击了初次交锋的情况，他心惊体颤，失了主张。但是，不用多久，他便已摆脱那种不妨称之为鬼使神差的没来由的强烈眩感，面对那一发千钧的危险处境，马白夫先生的谜一样的惨死，巴阿雷的牺牲，古费拉克的呼救，那孩子受到的威胁，以及亟待援救或为之报仇的许多朋友，他原有的疑虑完全消失了，他握着他的两支手枪投入了肉搏战。他第一枪救了伽弗洛什，第二枪帮了古费拉克。

听到连续的枪声、保安警察的号叫，那些进攻的军队齐向街垒攀登，这时街垒顶上已出现一大群握着步枪，露出大半截身体的保安警察、正规军、郊区的国民自卫军。他们已盖满垒壁的三分之二，但没有跳进街垒，他们仿佛还在踌躇，怕有什么暗算。他们象窥探一个狮子洞似的望着那黑暗的街垒。火炬的微光只照见他们的枪刺，羽毛高耸的军帽和惊慌激怒的上半部面庞。

马吕斯已没有武器。他丢掉那两支空手枪，但是他看见厅堂门旁的那桶火药。

正当他侧着脸朝这面望去时，一个兵士也正对着他瞄准。这时，有一个人蓦地跳上来，用手抓住那枪管，并堵在枪口上。这人便是那个穿灯芯绒裤子的少年工人。枪响了，子弹穿过那工人的手，也许还打在他身上，因为他倒下去了，却没有打中马吕斯。这一切都发生在烟雾中，看不大清楚。马吕斯正冲进那厅堂，几乎不知道有这一经过。他只隐隐约约见到那对准他的枪管和堵住枪口的那只手，也听到了枪声。但是在那样的时刻，人们所见到的事都是在瞬息万变之中，注意力不会停留在某一件事物上。人们只恍惚觉得自己的遭遇越来越黑暗，一切印象都是迷离不清的。

起义的人们吃惊不小，但并不害怕；他们聚集在一起。安灼拉大声说：“等一等！不要乱开枪！”确实如此，在那混乱开始时他们会伤着自己人。大部分人已经上楼，守在二楼和顶楼的窗口，居高临下，对着那些进攻的人。最坚决的几个都和安灼拉、古费拉克、让·勃鲁维尔、公白飞一道，雄赳赳地排列在街底那排房屋的墙跟前，毫无屏障，面对着立在街垒顶上那层层的大兵和部队。

这一切都是在不慌不忙的情况下，混战前少见的那种严肃态度和咄咄逼人的气势中完成的。两边都已枪口指向对方，瞄准待放，彼此间的距离又近到可以相互对话。正在这一触即发的时刻，一个高领阔肩章的军官举起军刀喊道：

“放下武器！”

“放！”安灼拉说。

两边的枪声同时爆发，硝烟弥漫，任何东西都看不见了。

在辛辣刺鼻令人窒息的烟雾中，人们听到一些即将死去和受了伤的人发出的微弱沙嗄的呻吟。

烟散了以后两边的战士都少了许多，但仍留在原处，一声不响地在重上枪弹。

突然有个人的声音猛吼道：

“你们滚开，要不我就炸掉这街垒！”

大家都向发出这声音的地方望去。

马吕斯先头冲进厅堂，抱起那桶火药，利用当时的硝烟和弥漫在那圈子里的那种昏暗的迷雾，顺着街垒，一直溜到那围着火炬的石块笼子旁边。他拔出那根火炬，把火药桶放在一叠石块上，往下一压，那桶底便立即通了，轻易到使人惊异，这一切都是在马吕斯一弯腰一起立的时间内完成的。这时，在街垒那头挤作一团的国民自卫军、保安警察、军官、士兵，全都骇然望着马吕斯，只见他一只脚踏在石块上，手握着火炬，豪壮的面庞在火光中显出一种表示必死之心的坚定意志，把火炬的烈焰伸向那通了底的火药桶旁边的一大堆可怕的东西，并发出这一骇人的叫嚷：

“你们滚开，要不我就炸掉这街垒！”

马吕斯继那八十岁老人之后，屹立在街垒上，这是继老革命而起的新生革命的形象。

“炸掉这街垒！”一个军士说，“你也活不了！”

马吕斯回答说：

“我当然活不了。”

同时他把火炬伸向那桶火药。

但那街垒上一个人也没有了。进犯的官兵丢下他们的伤员，乱七八糟一窝蜂似的，全向街的尽头逃走了，重行消失在黑夜中。一幅各自逃生的狼狈景象。

街垒解了围。

1 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

2 rue   

n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔

参考例句：

• You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。
• You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。

3 shuddering   

v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动

参考例句：

• 'I am afraid of it,'she answered, shuddering. “我害怕，”她发着抖，说。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
• She drew a deep shuddering breath. 她不由得打了个寒噤，深深吸了口气。 来自飘（部分）

4 irresolute   

adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的

参考例句：

• Irresolute persons make poor victors.优柔寡断的人不会成为胜利者。
• His opponents were too irresolute to call his bluff.他的对手太优柔寡断,不敢接受挑战。

5 vertigo   

n.眩晕

参考例句：

• He had a dreadful attack of vertigo.他忽然头晕得厉害。
• If you have vertigo it seems as if the whole room is spinning round you.如果你头晕，就会觉得整个房间都旋转起来

6 imminence   

n.急迫，危急

参考例句：

• The imminence of their exams made them work harder.考试即将来临，迫使他们更用功了。
• He had doubt about the imminence of war.他不相信战争已迫在眉睫。

7 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

8 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

9 enigma   

n.谜，谜一样的人或事

参考例句：

• I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年，他仍然难以捉摸。
• Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词，这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。

10 succor   

n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助

参考例句：

• In two short hours we may look for succor from Webb.在短短的两小时内，韦布将军的救兵就可望到达。
• He was so much in need of succor,so totally alone.他当时孑然一身，形影相吊，特别需要援助。

11 avenge   

v.为...复仇，为...报仇

参考例句：

• He swore to avenge himself on the mafia.他发誓说要向黑手党报仇。
• He will avenge the people on their oppressor.他将为人民向压迫者报仇。

12 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

13 entrenchment   

n.壕沟，防御设施

参考例句：

• Right below the entrenchment, you will find another underground bunker. 在堑壕的下方，你能找到另一个地下碉堡。 来自互联网
• There has been a shift in opinion on the issue after a decade of entrenchment. 在那议题上十年的固守之后，有了转变的看法。 来自互联网

14 barricade   

n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住

参考例句：

• The soldiers make a barricade across the road.士兵在路上设路障。
• It is difficult to break through a steel barricade.冲破钢铁障碍很难。

15 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

16 illuminated   

adj.被照明的；受启迪的

参考例句：

• Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。
• the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

17 muzzle   

n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默

参考例句：

• He placed the muzzle of the pistol between his teeth.他把手枪的枪口放在牙齿中间。
• The President wanted to muzzle the press.总统企图遏制新闻自由。

18 obstructed   

阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 )； 堵塞； 阻碍； 阻止

参考例句：

• Tall trees obstructed his view of the road. 有大树挡着，他看不到道路。
• The Irish and Bristol Channels were closed or grievously obstructed. 爱尔兰海峡和布里斯托尔海峡或遭受封锁，或受到了严重阻碍。

19 darted   

v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• The lizard darted out its tongue at the insect. 蜥蜴伸出舌头去吃小昆虫。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The old man was displeased and darted an angry look at me. 老人不高兴了，瞪了我一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 velvet   

n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的

参考例句：

• This material feels like velvet.这料子摸起来像丝绒。
• The new settlers wore the finest silk and velvet clothing.新来的移民穿着最华丽的丝绸和天鹅绒衣服。

21 apprehended   

逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解

参考例句：

• She apprehended the complicated law very quickly. 她很快理解了复杂的法律。
• The police apprehended the criminal. 警察逮捕了罪犯。

22 precipitated   

v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的过去式和过去分词 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀

参考例句：

• His resignation precipitated a leadership crisis. 他的辞职立即引发了领导层的危机。
• He lost his footing and was precipitated to the ground. 他失足摔倒在地上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 impelled   

v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He felt impelled to investigate further. 他觉得有必要作进一步调查。
• I feel impelled to express grave doubts about the project. 我觉得不得不对这项计划深表怀疑。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

25 random   

adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动

参考例句：

• The list is arranged in a random order.名单排列不分先后。
• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。

26 ascended   

v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He has ascended into heaven. 他已经升入了天堂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The climbers slowly ascended the mountain. 爬山运动员慢慢地登上了这座山。 来自《简明英汉词典》

27 attic   

n.顶楼，屋顶室

参考例句：

• Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
• What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理？

28 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

29 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

30 brink   

n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿

参考例句：

• The tree grew on the brink of the cliff.那棵树生长在峭壁的边缘。
• The two countries were poised on the brink of war.这两个国家处于交战的边缘。

31 darting   

v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔

参考例句：

• Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句

32 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

33 acrid   

adj.辛辣的，尖刻的，刻薄的

参考例句：

• There is an acrid tone to your remarks.你说这些话的口气带有讥刺意味。
• The room was filled with acrid smoke.房里充满刺鼻的烟。

34 stifling   

a.令人窒息的

参考例句：

• The weather is stifling. It looks like rain. 今天太闷热，光景是要下雨。
• We were stifling in that hot room with all the windows closed. 我们在那间关着窗户的热屋子里，简直透不过气来。

35 groans   

n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦

参考例句：

• There were loud groans when he started to sing. 他刚开始歌唱时有人发出了很大的嘘声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was a weird old house, full of creaks and groans. 这是所神秘而可怕的旧宅，到处嘎吱嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

36 entrenched   

adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯)

参考例句：

• Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
• If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。

37 glide   

n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝

参考例句：

• We stood in silence watching the snake glide effortlessly.我们噤若寒蝉地站着，眼看那条蛇逍遥自在地游来游去。
• So graceful was the ballerina that she just seemed to glide.那芭蕾舞女演员翩跹起舞，宛如滑翔。

38 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

39 huddled   

挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• We huddled together for warmth. 我们挤在一块取暖。
• We huddled together to keep warm. 我们挤在一起来保暖。

40 extremity   

n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度

参考例句：

• I hope you will help them in their extremity.我希望你能帮助在穷途末路的他们。
• What shall we do in this extremity?在这种极其困难的情况下我们该怎么办呢？

41 haughty   

adj.傲慢的，高傲的

参考例句：

• He gave me a haughty look and walked away.他向我摆出傲慢的表情后走开。
• They were displeased with her haughty airs.他们讨厌她高傲的派头。

42 drooping   

adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词

参考例句：

• The drooping willows are waving gently in the morning breeze. 晨风中垂柳袅袅。
• The branches of the drooping willows were swaying lightly. 垂柳轻飘飘地摆动。

43 redoubtable   

adj.可敬的；可怕的

参考例句：

• He is a redoubtable fighter.他是一位可敬的战士。
• Whose only defense is their will and redoubtable spirit.他们唯一的国防是他们的意志和可怕的精神。

44 vent   

n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄

参考例句：

• He gave vent to his anger by swearing loudly.他高声咒骂以发泄他的愤怒。
• When the vent became plugged,the engine would stop.当通风口被堵塞时，发动机就会停转。

45 apparition   

n.幽灵，神奇的现象

参考例句：

• He saw the apparition of his dead wife.他看见了他亡妻的幽灵。
• But the terror of this new apparition brought me to a stand.这新出现的幽灵吓得我站在那里一动也不敢动。

46 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

47 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。