That done, they awaited the next discharge of grape-shot.

It was not long in coming.

The cannon vomited forth its package of buck-shot with a roar. But there
was no rebound. The effect which they had foreseen had been attained.
The barricade was saved.

"Citizen," said Enjolras to Jean Valjean, "the Republic thanks you."

Bossuet admired and laughed. He exclaimed:

"It is immoral that a mattress should have so much power. Triumph of
that which yields over that which strikes with lightning. But never
mind, glory to the mattress which annuls a cannon!"

CHAPTER X--DAWN

At that moment, Cosette awoke.

Her chamber was narrow, neat, unobtrusive, with a long sash-window,
facing the East on the back court-yard of the house.

Cosette knew nothing of what was going on in Paris. She had not been
there on the preceding evening, and she had already retired to her
chamber when Toussaint had said:

"It appears that there is a row."

Cosette had slept only a few hours, but soundly. She had had sweet
dreams, which possibly arose from the fact that her little bed was very
white. Some one, who was Marius, had appeared to her in the light. She
awoke with the sun in her eyes, which, at first, produced on her the
effect of being a continuation of her dream. Her first thought on
emerging from this dream was a smiling one. Cosette felt herself
thoroughly reassured. Like Jean Valjean, she had, a few hours
previously, passed through that reaction of the soul which absolutely
will not hear of unhappiness. She began to cherish hope, with all her
might, without knowing why. Then she felt a pang at her heart. It was
three days since she had seen Marius. But she said to herself that he
must have received her letter, that he knew where she was, and that
he was so clever that he would find means of reaching her.--And that
certainly to-day, and perhaps that very morning.--It was broad daylight,
but the rays of light were very horizontal; she thought that it was very
early, but that she must rise, nevertheless, in order to receive Marius.

She felt that she could not live without Marius, and that, consequently,
that was sufficient and that Marius would come. No objection was valid.
All this was certain. It was monstrous enough already to have suffered
for three days. Marius absent three days, this was horrible on the part
of the good God. Now, this cruel teasing from on high had been gone
through with. Marius was about to arriv