2008 Les Miserables
And with a motion of the head, he indicated the body of
M. Mabeuf.
There was, as the reader will remember, a long, broad ta-
ble at the end of the room, on which they had been running
bullets and making cartridges. All the cartridges having
been made, and all the powder used, this table was free.
At Enjolras’ command, four insurgents unbound Javert
from the post. While they were loosing him, a fifth held a
bayonet against his breast.
Leaving his arms tied behind his back, they placed about
his feet a slender but stout whip-cord, as is done to men
on the point of mounting the scaffold, which allowed him
to take steps about fifteen inches in length, and made him
walk to the table at the end of the room, where they laid him
down, closely bound about the middle of the body.
By way of further security, and by means of a rope fas-
tened to his neck, they added to the system of ligatures
which rendered every attempt at escape impossible, that
sort of bond which is called in prisons a martingale, which,
starting at the neck, forks on the stomach, and meets the
hands, after passing between the legs.
While they were binding Javert, a man standing on the
threshold was surveying him with singular attention. The
shadow cast by this man made Javert turn his head. He
raised his eyes, and recognized Jean Valjean. He did not
even start, but dropped his lids proudly and confined him-
self to the remark: ‘It is perfectly simple.’