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Chapter 26

           Theshotrattledagainstthestoneofthegateanduponthewoodenbeamsandscreens,andtwowaveringcloudsofsmokeroseovertheSquare.

           Afewinstantsaftertheechoofthereportsresoundingoverthestone-builtKrémlinhaddiedawaytheFrenchheardastrangesoundabovetheirhead.Thousandsofcrowsroseabovethewallsandcircledintheair,cawingandnoisilyflappingtheirwings.Togetherwiththatsoundcameasolitaryhumancryfromthegatewayandamidthesmokeappearedthefigureofabareheadedmaninapeasant’scoat.HegraspedamusketandtookaimattheFrench.“Fire!”repeatedtheofficeroncemore,andthereportsofamusketandoftwocannonshotswereheardsimultaneously.Thegatewasagainhiddenbysmoke.

           NothingmorestirredbehindthescreensandtheFrenchinfantrysoldiersandofficersadvancedtothegate.Inthegatewaylaythreewoundedandfourdead.Twomeninpeasantcoatsranawayatthefootofthewall,towardtheZnámenka.

           “Clearthataway!”saidtheofficer,pointingtothebeamsandthecorpses,andtheFrenchsoldiers,afterdispatchingthewounded,threwthecorpsesovertheparapet.

           Whothesemenwerenobodyknew.“Clearthataway!”wasallthatwassaidofthem,andtheywerethrownovertheparapetandremovedlateronthattheymightnotstink.Thiersalonededicatesafeweloquentlinestotheirmemory:“Thesewretcheshadoccupiedthesacredcitadel,havingsuppliedthemselveswithgunsfromthearsenal,andfired”(thewretches)“attheFrench.SomeofthemweresaberedandtheKrémlinwaspurgedoftheirpresence.

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