The assailants' fire continued. Musketry and grape-shot alternated,but without committing great ravages, to tell the truth. The top alone of the Corinthe facade suffered; the window on the first floor, and the attic window in the roof, riddled with buck-shot and biscaiens, were slowly losing their shape. The combatants who had been posted there had been obliged to withdraw. However, this is according to the tactics of barricades; to fire for a long while, in order to exhaust the insurgents' ammunition, if they commit the mistake of replying. When it is perceived, from the slackening of their fire, that they have no more powder and ball, the assault is made. Enjolras had not fallen into this trap; the barricade did not reply.
At every discharge by platoons, Gavroche puffed out his cheek with his tongue, a sign of supreme disdain.
"Good for you," said he, "rip up the cloth. We want some lint."
Courfeyrac called the grape-shot to order for the little effect which it produced, and said to the cannon:
"You are growing diffuse, my good fellow."
One gets puzzled in battle, as at a ball. It is probable that this silence on the part of the redoubt began to render the besiegers uneasy, and to make them fear some unexpected incident, and that they felt the necessity of getting a clear view behind that heap of paving-stones, and of knowing what was going on behind that impassable wall which received blows without retorting. The insurgents suddenly perceived a helmet glittering in the sun on a neighboring roof. A fireman had placed his back against a tall chimney, and seemed to be acting as sentinel. His glance fell directly down into the barricade.
"There's an embarrassing watcher," said Enjolras.
Jean Valjean had returned Enjolras' rifle, but he had his own gun.
Without saying a word, he took aim at the fireman, and, a second later, the helmet, smashed by a bullet, rattled noisily into the street. The terrified soldier made haste to disappear. A second observer took his place. This one was an officer. Jean Valjean, who had re-loaded his gun, took aim at the newcomer and sent the officer's casque to join the soldier's. The officer did not persist, and retired speedily. This time the warning was understood. No one made his appearance thereafter on that roof; and the idea of spying on the barricade was abandoned.
"Why did you not kill the man?" Bossuet asked Jean Valjean.
Jean Valjean made no reply.
攻打的军队继续在开火。排枪和霰弹轮番发射，但实际上并没有造成多大损伤。只有科林斯正面的上方遭了殃；二楼的格子窗和屋顶阁楼被大小子弹打得百孔千疮，已慢慢地在变形。驻守在那儿的战士得侧身躲开。再说，这也是攻打街垒的一种策略，采用疲劳战术射击，目的是消耗起义者的弹药，如果被围的人回击就中了计。一旦发现被围者的火力弱下来，就说明没有子弹和炸药了，这就可以发动突击。但安灼拉没有中计；街垒毫不回击。
分队每发一次排枪，伽弗洛什就用舌头鼓起他的腮帮子，表示极大的蔑视。
“好吧，”他说，“把床垫撕烂。我们需要绷带呀。”
古费拉克斥责霰弹不中用，他对大炮说：
“伙计，你太不集中了。”
在作战时，好象在舞会上一样，人们互施诡计。大概这棱堡的沉默开始使进攻的一方担心了，生怕发生意外，他们感到需要摸清这堆石块后面的情况，并了解这堵漠不关心、只挨打不还击的墙内究竟在干什么。起义者们突然发觉邻近的屋顶上有一顶消防队的钢盔在阳光中闪烁。一个消防队员靠在高烟囱旁好象在那儿站岗。他的视线正好直直地落到街垒里。
“那是一个碍事的监视。”安灼拉说。
冉阿让已经把卡宾枪还给了安灼拉，但他还有自己的枪。
他一声不响，瞄准那消防队员，一秒钟后，钢盔被一颗子弹打中，很响亮地落在街心。受惊的士兵赶快逃开了。
另一个监视人接替了他的岗位。这是一个军官。冉阿让又装好子弹，瞄准新来的人，把军官的钢盔打下去找士兵的钢盔作伴去了。军官不再坚持，很快也退了下去。他们明白了这个警告。从此没有人再出现在屋顶上，他们放弃了对街垒的侦察。
“您为什么不打死那个人？”博须埃问冉阿让。
冉阿让没有答复。