Germinal

M. Hennebeau goes to Paris to tell the Board what happened. The Company decides not to prosecute whoever was responsible because his “heroism would only serve to give others the wrong idea and breed a long line of incendiaries and assassins” (484). Dansaert, however, is immediately fired. In his new position as divisional engineer, Deneulin works on stopping the flooding from the canal.

Négrel wants to try to save the 15 trapped miners, and many miners volunteer “in an upsurge of fraternal solidarity” (485). Négrel consults with deputies. The group determines the victims must have fled to higher roadways within the mine, and they decide to try to search Réquillart. Négrel studies the plans for the pits and is “passionately committed to finding them” (487).

Négrel and his team explore Réquillart for three days to no avail. Zacharie, tormented by the thought that his sister is trapped, sneaks into the shaft himself and says that he hears the miners. When Négrel’s men also hear responses to their tapping, Négrel gives orders to begin digging.

Zacharie insists on going into the narrow shaft to dig, and he digs with such ferocity that he is oblivious to his own physical suffering.