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Charpentier said to Jeanty Sarre,--
"
"
We shall all be killed."
Shall we really!" said Jeanty Sarre.
Jeanty Sarre ordered the door of the wine-shop to be closed, so that
their barricade, completely shrouded in darkness, would give them some
advantage over the barricade which was occupied by the soldiers and
lighted up.
In the meantime the 51st searched the streets, carried the wounded into
the ambulances, and took up their position in the double barricade of
the Rue Mauconseil. Half an hour thus elapsed.
Now, in order to clearly understand what is about to follow, the reader
must picture to himself in this silent street, in this darkness of the
night, at from sixty to eighty yards apart, within speaking distance,
these two redoubts facing each other, and able as in an Iliad to address
each other.
On one side the Army, on the other side the People, the darkness over
all.
The species of truce which always precedes decisive encounters drew to a
close. The preparations were completed on both sides. The soldiers could
be heard forming into order of battle, and the captains giving out their
commands. It was evident that the struggle was at hand.
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