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"
Let us begin," said Charpentier; and he raised his gun.
Denis held his arm back. "Wait," he said.
Then an epic incident was seen.
Denis slowly mounted the paving-stones of the barricade, ascended to the
top, and stood there erect, unarmed and bareheaded.
Thence he raised his voice, and, facing the soldiers, he shouted to
them, "Citizens!"
At this word a sort of electric shudder ensued which was felt from one
barricade to the other. Every sound was hushed, every voice was silent,
on both sides reigned a deep religious and solemn silence. By the
distant glimmer of a few lighted windows the soldiers could vaguely
distinguish a man standing above a mass of shadows, like a phantom who
was speaking to them in the night.
Denis continued,--
"Citizens of the Army! Listen to me!"
The silence grew still more profound.
He resumed,--
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