He did not succeed. Jean Valjean, as we have just stated, had his back turned to the light, and he was, moreover, so disfigured, so bemired, so bleeding that he would have been unrecognizable in full noonday.
On the contrary, illuminated by the light from the grating, a cellar light, it is true, livid, yet precise in its lividness, Thenardier, as the energetic popular metaphor expresses it, immediately "leaped into" Jean Valjean''s eyes.
This inequality of conditions sufficed to assure some advantage to Jean Valjean in that mysterious duel
which was on the point of beginning between the two situations and the two men.
The encounter took place between Jean Valjean veiled and Thenardier unmasked.
Jean Valjean immediately perceived that Thenardier did not recognize him.
They surveyed each other for a moment in that half-gloom, as though taking each other''s measure.
Thenardier was the first to break the silence.
"How are you going to manage to get out?"
Jean Valjean made no reply.
Thenardier continued:
"It''s impossible to pick the lock of that gate.