This gripping drama tells the story of a young man who turns to a life of crime in order to survive in the slums of Paris. With vivid characters and a taut plot, the author captures the desperation and hopelessness of those caught in the grip of poverty and injustice. At the same time, he offers a searing indictment of a society that values wealth and power above all else. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.