Les miserables (Abridged) - Victor Hugo [166]
“You are right. Read that!”
Thénardier took the paper and read.
“M—sur M—, March 25,1823.
“Monsieur Thénardier:
“You will deliver Cosette to the bearer. He will settle all small debts.
“I have the honour to salute you with consideration.
FANTINE.”
“You know that signature?” replied the man.
It was indeed the signature of Fantine. Thénardier recognised it.
There was nothing to say. He felt doubly enraged, enraged at being compelled to give up the bribe which he hoped for, and enraged at being beaten. The man added:
“You can keep this paper as your receipt.”
Thénardier retreated in good order.
“This signature is very well imitated,” he grumbled between his teeth. “Well, so be it!”
Then he made a desperate effort.
“Monsieur,” said he, “it is all right. Then you are the person. But you must settle‘all small debts.’ There is a large amount due to me.”
The man rose to his feet, and said at the same time, snapping with his thumb and finger some dust from his threadbare sleeve:
“Monsieur Thénardier, in January the mother reckoned that she owed you a hundred and twenty francs; you sent her in February a memorandum of five hundred francs; you received three hundred francs at the end of February, and three hundred at the beginning of March. There has since elapsed nine months which, at fifteen francs per month, the price agreed upon, amounts to a hundred and thirty-five francs. You had received a hundred francs in advance. There remain thirty-five francs due you. I have just given you fifteen hundred francs.”
Thénardier felt what the wolf feels the moment when he finds himself seized and crushed by the steel jaws of the trap.
“What is this devil of a man?” thought he.
He did what the wolf does, he gave a spring. Audacity had succeeded with him once already.
“Monsieur-I-don‘t-know-your-name,” said he resolutely, and putting aside this time all show of respect. “I shall take back Cosette or you must give me a thousand crowns.”bk
The stranger said quietly:
“Come, Cosette.”
He took Cosette with his left hand, and with the right picked up his staff, which was on the ground.
Thénardier noted the enormous size of the cudgel, and the solitude of the place.
The man disappeared in the wood with the child, leaving the tavern-keeper motionless and non-plussed.
As they walked away, Thénardier observed his broad shoulders, a little rounded, and his big fists.
Then his eyes fell back upon his own puny arms and thin hands. “I must have been a fool indeed,” thought he, “not to have brought my gun, as I was going on a hunt.”
However, the innkeeper did not abandon the pursuit.
“I must know where he goes,” said he; and he began to follow them at a distance. There remained two things in his possession, one a bitter mockery, the piece of paper signed Fantine, and the other a consolation, the fifteen hundred francs.
The man was leading Cosette in the direction of Livry and Bondy. He was walking slowly, his head bent down, in an attitude of reflection and sadness. The winter had bereft the wood of foliage, so that Thénardier did not lose sight of them, though remaining at a considerable distance behind. From time to time the man turned, and looked to see if he were followed. Suddenly he perceived Thénardier. He at once entered a coppice with Cosette, and both disappeared from sight. “The devil!” said Thénardier.And he redoubled his pace.
The density of the thicket compelled him to approach them. When the man reached the thickest part of the wood, he turned again. Thénardier had endeavoured to conceal himself in the branches in vain, he could not prevent the man from seeing him. The man cast an uneasy glance at him, then shook his head, and resumed his journey. The innkeeper again took up the pursuit. They walked thus two or three hundred paces. Suddenly the man turned again. He perceived the innkeeper. This