Les Misérables, v. 4/5: The Idyll and the Epic

  CHAPTER V.

  THE OLD MAN.

  We will tell what had occurred. Enjolras and his friends were on theBourdon Boulevard near the granaries at the moment when the dragoonscharged, and Enjolras, Courfeyrac, and Combeferre were among thosewho turned into the Rue Bassompierre shouting, "To the barricades!"In the Rue Lesdiguières they met an old man walking along, and whatattracted their attention was, that he was moving very irregularly,as if intoxicated. Moreover, he had his hat in his hand, although ithad rained the whole morning, and was raining rather hard at thatvery moment. Courfeyrac recognized Father Mabœuf, whom he knewthrough having accompanied Marius sometimes as far as his door.Knowing the peaceful and more than timid habits of the churchwardenand bibliomaniac, and stupefied at seeing him in the midst of thetumult, within two yards of cavalry charges, almost in the midst of themusketry fire, bareheaded in the rain, and walking about among bullets,he accosted him, and the rebel of five-and-twenty and the octogenarianexchanged this dialogue:--

  "Monsieur Mabœuf, you had better go home."

  "Why so?"

  "There is going to be a row."

  "Very good."

  "Sabre-cuts and shots, Monsieur Mabœuf."

  "Very good."

  "Cannon-shots."

  "Very good. Where are you gentlemen going?"

  "To upset the Government."

  "Very good."

  And he began following them, but since that moment had not said a word.His step had become suddenly firm, and when workmen offered him an arm,he declined it with a shake of the head. He walked almost at the headof the column, having at once the command of a man who is marching andthe face of a man who is asleep.

  "What a determined old fellow!" the students muttered; and the rumorran along the party that he was an ex-conventionalist, an old regicide.The band turn into the Rue de la Verrerie, and little Gavroche marchedat the head, singing at the top of his voice, which made him resemble abugler. He sang:--

  "Voici la lune qui paraît, Quand irons-nous dans la forêt? Demandait Charlot à Charlotte.

  "Tou tou tou Pour Chatou.Je n'ai qu'un Dieu, qu'un roi, qu'un liard et qu'une botte.

  "Pour avoir bu de grand matin La rosée à même le thym, Deux moineaux étaient en ribotte.

  "Zi zi zi Pour Passy.Je n'ai qu'un Dieu, qu'un roi, qu'un liard et qu'une botte.

  "Et ces deux pauvres petits loups, Comme deux grives étaient soûls; Un tigre en riait dans sa grotte.

  "Don don don Pour Meudon.Je n'ai qu'un Dieu, qu'un roi, qu'un liard et qu'une botte.

  "L'un jurait et l'autre sacrait, Quand irons-nous dans la forêt? Demandait Charlot à Charlotte.

  "Tin tin tin Pour Pantin.Je n'ai qu'un Dieu, qu'un roi, qu'un liard et qu'une botte."

  They proceeded towards St. Merry.