It was downright surprising how fast Jean Valjean, the fugitive extraordinaire, could turn into an imposing father figure if provoked.
And he was provoked. There were many boys sniffing around his daughter of late. This was a Talk.
So he would make sure to play his part, no matter what. The fear of God was important, even if the boy did turn out to be less of a waste than he feared. "No, not at all." Although his manner was still unreadable. Distant.