riously; they were desirous, if only with
fear and trembling, to force the human race to paradise. They seemed
barbarians, and they were saviours. They demanded light with the mask of
night.

Facing these men, who were ferocious, we admit, and terrifying, but
ferocious and terrifying for good ends, there are other men, smiling,
embroidered, gilded, beribboned, starred, in silk stockings, in white
plumes, in yellow gloves, in varnished shoes, who, with their elbows on
a velvet table, beside a marble chimney-piece, insist gently on demeanor
and the preservation of the past, of the Middle Ages, of divine right,
of fanaticism, of innocence, of slavery, of the death penalty, of war,
glorifying in low tones and with politeness, the sword, the stake, and
the scaffold. For our part, if we were forced to make a choice between
the barbarians of civilization and the civilized men of barbarism, we
should choose the barbarians.

But, thank Heaven, still another choice is possible. No perpendicular
fall is necessary, in front any more than in the rear.

Neither despotism nor terrorism. We desire progress with a gentle slope.

God takes care of that. God's whole policy consists in rendering slopes
less steep.

CHAPTER VI--ENJOLRAS AND HIS LIEUTENANTS

It was about this epoch that Enjolras, in view of a possible
catastrophe, instituted a kind of mysterious census.

All were present at a secret meeting at the Cafe Musain.

Enjolras said, mixing his words with a few half-enigmatical but
significant metaphors:--

"It is proper that we should know where we stand and on whom we may
count. If combatants are required, they must be provided. It can do no
harm to have something with which to strike. Passers-by always have more
chance of being gored when there are bulls on the road than when there
are none. Let us, therefore, reckon a little on the herd. How many of us
are there? There is no question of postponing this task until to-morrow.
Revolutionists should always be hurried; progress has no time to lose.
Let us mistrust the unexpected. Let us not be caught unprepared. We must
go over all the seams that we have made and see whether they hold fast.
This business ought to be concluded to-day. Courfeyrac, you will see the
polytechnic students. It is their day to go out. To-day is Wednesday.
Feuilly, you will see those of the Glaciere, will you not? Combeferre
has promised me to go to Picpus. There is a perfect swarm and an
exc