At this sudden question the man started; he looked into the depths of Enjolras's candid eyeballs, and seemed to read his thoughts. He gave a smile, which was at once the most disdainful, energetic, and resolute possible, and answered, with a haughty gravity,-- "I see what you mean,--well, yes!" "Are you a spy?" "I am an agent of the authority!" "And your name is--" "Javert." Enjolras gave the four men a sign, and in a twinkling, before Javert had time to turn round, he was collared, thrown down, bound, and searched. They found on him a small round card fixed between two pieces of glass, and bearing on one side the arms of France, with the motto, "Surveillance and vigilance," and on the other this notice, "JAVERT, Police Inspector, fifty-two years of age," and the signature of the Prefect of Police of that day, M. Gisquet. He had also a watch, and a purse containing some pieces of gold, and both were left him. Behind his watch at the bottom of his fob a paper was found, which Enjolras unfolded, and on which he read these lines, written by the Prefect of Police himself:-- "So soon as his political mission is concluded, Javert will assure himself by a special watch whether it is true that criminals assemble on the slope of the right bank of the Seine, near the bridge of Jena." When the search was ended, Javert was raised from the ground, his arms were tied behind his back, and he was fastened in the middle of the room to the celebrated post which in olden times gave its name to the wine-shop. Gavroche, who had watched the whole scene and approved of everything with a silent shake of the head, went up to Javert, and said,-- "The mouse has trapped the cat." All this took place so quickly that it was completed before those outside the wine-shop were aware of it. Javert had not uttered a cry, but on seeing him fastened to the post, Courfeyrac, Bossuet, Combeferre, Joly, and the men scattered over the two barricades, flocked in. Javert, who was surrounded with cords so that he could not stir, raised his head with the intrepid serenity of a man who has never told a falsehood. "It is a spy," said Enjolras; and turning to Javert, "You will be shot two minutes before the barricade is taken." Javert replied, with his most imperious accent,-- "Why not at once?" "We are saving of powder." "Then settle the affair with a knife." "Spy," said the beautiful Enjolras, "we are judges, and not assassins." Then he called Gavroche. "You be off now and do what I told you." "I am off," Gavroche cried, but stopped just as he reached the door. "By the way, you will give me his gun. I leave you the musician, but I want his clarinet." The gamin gave a military salute, and gayly slipped round the large barricade. CHAPTER VIII. WAS HIS NAME LE CABUC?