13 4 4 Les Miserables
of the room as he examined the picture.
There were now four men, three seated on the bed, one
standing near the door-post, all four with bare arms and
motionless, with faces smeared with black. One of those on
the bed was leaning against the wall, with closed eyes, and
it might have been supposed that he was asleep. He was old;
his white hair contrasting with his blackened face produced
a horrible effect. The other two seemed to be young; one
wore a beard, the other wore his hair long. None of them
had on shoes; those who did not wear socks were barefoot-
ed.
Jondrette noticed that M. Leblanc’s eye was fixed on
these men.
‘They are friends. They are neighbors,’ said he. ‘Their
faces are black because they work in charcoal. They are
chimney-builders. Don’t trouble yourself about them, my
benefactor, but buy my picture. Have pity on my misery. I
will not ask you much for it. How much do you think it is
worth?’
‘Well,’ said M. Leblanc, looking Jondrette full in the
eye, and with the manner of a man who is on his guard,
‘it is some signboard for a tavern, and is worth about three
francs.’
Jondrette replied sweetly:—
‘Have you your pocket-book with you? I should be satis-
fied with a thousand crowns.’
M. Leblanc sprang up, placed his back against the wall,
and cast a rapid glance around the room. He had Jondrette
on his left, on the side next the window, and the Jondrette