Les Miserables, Oxford Bookworms Library by Jennifer Bassett

Author:Jennifer Bassett
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780194794404
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 2012-11-01T06:00:00+00:00

When the soldiers attacked in front of the Arsenal building, the people turned and ran, this way and that way, through the streets of the city. Marius and his friends came to the Rue de la Chanvrerie and they built their barricade there. It was two metres high, made of wood and stone. Behind their barricade, the rebels waited for the soldiers. Night came, but nothing happened.

Enjolras was the leader of the students. He called Gavroche to him.

‘You’re small,’ he said. ‘Nobody sees you. Go and have a look round the city, and then bring us any news.’

Just after midnight, Gavroche was back. ‘The soldiers aren’t moving,’ he said. ‘But there are a lot of them.’ He stopped suddenly and whispered, ‘Hey, who’s that? That tall man, over there?’

Enjolras and Marius turned to look.

‘I don’t know him,’ said Marius.

‘People are coming and going all night,’ said Enjolras. ‘Why, Gavroche? Do you know him?’

‘Yes,’ whispered Gavroche. ‘He’s not one of us. He’s a spy, a police spy. Name of Javert. He stopped me once, down by the river. Put me in prison all night.’

‘Are you certain about this, Gavroche?’ said Marius.

‘I’m certain, all right,’ said Gavroche. ‘He’s a spy!’

The rebels did not like spies. Four of Enjolras’s men jumped on Javert, pulled him into the tavern behind the barricade, and tied him to the wall.

‘Do we shoot him now?’ asked one of the men.

‘Later,’ said Enjolras. ‘He can wait.’

They went back outside to the barricade and listened for the sound of soldiers. Gavroche found Marius at the far end of the barricade.

‘Marius,’ he whispered, ‘on my way back here I came past your rooms and went in.’

‘Why?’ whispered Marius.

‘I was hungry,’ said Gavroche. ‘The woman in your house is nice – she always gives me something to eat. But she had a letter for you. She gave it to me. It came two days ago, she said.’

‘A letter? A letter from whom?’ Suddenly there was hope in Marius’s heart. ‘Quick – give it to me.’

The letter was from Cosette.

My dearest, Father says we must leave at once. We go tonight to 7 Rue de l’Homme-Armé, and soon to England. Oh my dear, how can I live without you? Cosette

Marius read this letter four times and then kissed it. She still loved him! He must write back to her and say his last goodbye. There was still no sound of soldiers in the street. He found some paper and a pencil.

‘I want you to put this letter into Cosette’s hands.’

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