Les Misérables, Book 14: The Grandeurs of Despair, Chapter 3 summary
Book 14: The Grandeurs of Despair, Chapter 3 of 365 · 2 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 3, the defenders carry Father Mabeuf’s body into the taproom while Gavroche keeps watch, but municipal guards force their way into the barricade and kill Bahorel. Marius enters and shoots the guards threatening Gavroche and Courfeyrac, interrupting an attack that nearly overwhelms the defenders.
What happens
- Six men carry Father Mabeuf’s covered body into the taproom, and Enjolras threatens Javert as they pass.
- Gavroche warns the others as municipal guards approach, and the defenders rush outside to find the barricade nearly overrun.
- Bahorel kills one guard, but another kills him with a bayonet; Courfeyrac is knocked down.
- Gavroche aims Javert’s gun at a towering guard, but the weapon is unloaded.
- Marius enters the barricade and shoots the guards threatening Gavroche and Courfeyrac.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The sentence identifies the shooter whose arrival saves Gavroche and Courfeyrac from their attackers. It turns the focus from the defenders’ immediate peril to Marius’s intervention.
Quick check
Why does Gavroche’s shot fail to stop the guard?
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