Part 228 (1/2)

”I am an agent of the authorities.”

”And your name?”

”Javert.”

Enjolras made a sign to the four men. In the twinkling of an eye, before Javert had time to turn round, he was collared, thrown down, pinioned and searched.

They found on him a little round card pasted between two pieces of gla.s.s, and bearing on one side the arms of France, engraved, and with this motto: Supervision and vigilance, and on the other this note: ”JAVERT, inspector of police, aged fifty-two,” and the signature of the Prefect of Police of that day, M. Gisquet.

Besides this, he had his watch and his purse, which contained several gold pieces. They left him his purse and his watch. Under the watch, at the bottom of his fob, they felt and seized a paper in an envelope, which Enjolras unfolded, and on which he read these five lines, written in the very hand of the Prefect of Police:--

”As soon as his political mission is accomplished, Inspector Javert will make sure, by special supervision, whether it is true that the malefactors have inst.i.tuted intrigues on the right bank of the Seine, near the Jena bridge.”

The search ended, they lifted Javert to his feet, bound his arms behind his back, and fastened him to that celebrated post in the middle of the room which had formerly given the wine-shop its name.

Gavroche, who had looked on at the whole of this scene and had approved of everything with a silent toss of his head, stepped up to Javert and said to him:--

”It's the mouse who has caught the cat.”

All this was so rapidly executed, that it was all over when those about the wine-shop noticed it.

Javert had not uttered a single cry.

At the sight of Javert bound to the post, Courfeyrac, Bossuet, Joly, Combeferre, and the men scattered over the two barricades came running up.

Javert, with his back to the post, and so surrounded with ropes that he could not make a movement, raised his head with the intrepid serenity of the man who has never lied.

”He is a police spy,” said Enjolras.

And turning to Javert: ”You will be shot ten minutes before the barricade is taken.”

Javert replied in his most imperious tone:--

”Why not at once?”

”We are saving our powder.”

”Then finish the business with a blow from a knife.”

”Spy,” said the handsome Enjolras, ”we are judges and not a.s.sa.s.sins.”

Then he called Gavroche:--

”Here you! go about your business! Do what I told you!”

”I'm going!” cried Gavroche.

And halting as he was on the point of setting out:--

”By the way, you will give me his gun!” and he added: ”I leave you the musician, but I want the clarionet.”