Les miserables (Abridged) - Victor Hugo [332]
He dared not call them, a cry overheard might destroy all; he had an idea, a final one, a flash of light; he took from his pocket the end of Brujon’s rope, which he had detached from the chimney of the Bâtiment Neuf, and threw it into the inclosure.
This rope fell at their feet.
“A widow! ”ex said Babet.
“My tortouse!”ey said Brujon.
“There is the innkeeper,” said Montparnasse.
They raised their eyes. Thénardier advanced his head a little.
“Quick!” said Montparnasse, “have you the other end of the rope, Brujon?”
“Yes.”
“Tie the two ends together, we will throw him the rope, he will fasten it to the wall, he will have enough to get down.”
Thénardier ventured to speak:
“I am benumbed.”
“We will warm you.”
“I can’t stir.”
“Let yourself slip down, we will catch you.”
“My hands are stiff.”
“Only tie the rope to the wall.”
“I can’t.”
“One of us must get up,” said Montparnasse.
“Three stories!” said Brujon.
An old plaster flue, which had served for a stove which had formerly been in use in the shanty, crept along the wall, rising almost to the spot at which they saw Thénardier. This flue, then very much cracked and full of seams, has since fallen, but its traces can still be seen. It was very small.
“We could get up by that,” said Montparnasse.
“By that flue!” exclaimed Babet, “an orgue,ez never! it would take a mion.”fa
“It would take a môme,”fb added Brujon.
“Where can we find a brat?” said Gueulemer.
“Wait,” said Montparnasse, “I have the thing.”
He opened the gate of the fence softly, made sure that nobody was passing in the street, went out carefully, shut the door after him, and started on a run in the direction of the Bastille.
Seven or eight minutes elapsed, eight thousand centuries to Thénardier; Babet, Brujon, and Gueulemer kept their teeth clenched; the door at last opened again, and Montparnasse appeared, out of breath, with Gavroche. The rain still kept the street entirely empty.
Little Gavroche entered the inclosure and looked upon these bandit forms with a quiet air. The water was dripping from his hair. Gueulemer addressed him:
“Brat, are you a man?”
Gavroche shrugged his shoulders and answered:
“A môme like mézig is an orgue, and orgues like vousailles are mômes.”fc
“How the mion plays with the spittoon!”fd exclaimed Babet.
“The môme pantinois isn’t maquillé of fertille lansquinée,”fe added Brujon.
“What is it you want?” said Gavroche.
Montparnasse answered:
“To climb up by this flue.”
“With this widow,”ff said Babet.
“And ligoter the tortouse,”fg continued Brujon.
“To the monté of the montant,”fh resumed Babet.
“To the pieu of the vanterne,”fi added Brujon.
“And then?” said Gavroche.
“That’s it!” said Gueulemer.
The gamin examined the rope, the flue, the wall, the windows, and made that inexpressible and disdainful sound with the lips which signifies:
“That’s all?”
“There is a man up there whom you will save,” replied Montparnasse.
“Will you?” added Brujon.
“Goosy!” answered the child, as if the question appeared to him absurd; and he took off his shoes.
Gueulemer caught up Gavroche with one hand, put him on the roof of the shanty, the worm-eaten boards of which bent beneath the child’s weight, and handed him the rope which Brujon had tied together during the absence of Montparnasse. The gamin went towards the flue, which it was easy to enter, thanks to a large hole at the roof. Just as he was about to start, Thénardier, who saw safety and life approaching, bent over the edge of the wall; the first gleam of day lighted up his forehead reeking with sweat, his livid cheeks, his thin