He felt a longing to discharge his gun and fire at the phantom of that one-eyed man so as to drive it away.
Meantime the bayonets were still and ever slowly ascending.
When the heads of the soldiers appeared on a level with the esplanade, Silvere instinctively turned to Miette.

She stood there with flushed face, looking taller than ever amidst the folds of the red banner; she was indeed standing on tiptoes in order to see the troops, and nervous expectation made her nostrils quiver and her red lips part so as to show her white, eager, gleaming teeth.

Silvere smiled at her.

But he had scarcely turned his head when a fusillade burst out.

The soldiers, who could only be seen from their shoulders upwards, had just fired their first volley.