One of the “chimney-builders,” whose smirched face was lighted up by the candle, and in whom Marius recognized, in spite of his daubing, Panchaud, alias Printanier, alias Bigrenaille, lifted above M. Leblanc’s head a sort of bludgeon made of two balls of lead, at the two ends of a bar of iron.

Marius could not resist this sight. “My father,” he thought, “forgive me!”

And his finger sought the trigger of his pistol.

The shot was on the point of being discharged when Thénardier’s voice shouted:⁠—

“Don’t harm him!”