Les miserables (Abridged) - Victor Hugo [447]
“I thought that the fire was unnecessary.”
“That is just one of your ideas!” replied Cosette.
The next day there was a fire. But the two arm-chairs were placed at the other end of the room, near the door. “What does that mean?” thought Jean Valjean.
He went for the arm-chairs, and put them back in their usual place near the chimney.
This fire being kindled again encouraged him, however. He continued the conversation still longer than usual. As he was getting up to go away, Cosette said to him:
“My husband said a funny thing to me yesterday.”
“What was it?”
“He said: ‘Cosette, we have an income of thirty thousand francs. Twenty-seven that you have, three that my grandfather allows me.’ I answered: ‘That makes thirty.’ ‘Would you have the courage to live on three thousand?’ I answered: ‘Yes, on nothing. Provided it be with you.’ And then I asked: ‘Why do you say this?’ He answered: ‘To know.’ ”
Jean Valjean did not say a word. Cosette probably expected some explanation from him; he listened to her in a mournful silence. He went back to the Rue de l‘Homme Armé; he was so deeply absorbed that he mistook the door, and instead of entering his own house, he entered the next one. Not until he had gone up almost to the second story did he perceive his mistake, and go down again.
His mind was racked with conjectures. It was evident that Marius had doubts in regard to the origin of these six hundred thousand francs, that he feared some impure source, who knows? that he had perhaps discovered that this money came from him, Jean Valjean, that he hesitated before this suspicious fortune, and disliked to take it as his own, preferring to remain poor, himself and Cosette, than to be rich with a doubtful wealth.
Besides, vaguely, Jean Valjean began to feel that the door was shown him.
The next day, he received, on entering the basement room, something like a shock. The arm-chairs had disappeared. There was not even a chair of any kind.
“Ah now,” exclaimed Cosette as she came in, “no chairs! Where are the arm-chairs, then?”
“They are gone,” answered Jean Valjean.
“That is a pretty business!”
Jean Valjean stammered:
“I told Basque to take them away.”
“And what for?”
“I shall stay only a few minutes to-day.”
“Staying a little while is no reason for standing while you do stay.”
“I believe that Basque needed some arm-chairs for the parlour.”
“What for?”
“You doubtless have company this evening.”
“We have nobody.”
Jean Valjean could not say a word more.
Cosette shrugged her shoulders.
“To have the chairs carried away! The other day you had the fire put out. How singular you are!”
“Good-bye,” murmured Jean Valjean.
He did not say: “Good-bye, Cosette.” But he had not the strength to say: “Good-bye, madame.”
He went away overwhelmed.
This time he had understood.
The next day he did not come. Cosette did not notice it until night.
“Why,” said she, “Monsieur Jean has not come to-day.”
She felt something like a slight oppression of the heart, but she hardly perceived it, being immediately diverted by a kiss from Marius.
The next day he did not come.
Cosette paid no attention to it, passed the evening and slept as usual, and thought of it only on awaking. She was so happy! She sent Nicolette very quickly to Monsieur Jean’s to know if he were sick, and why he had not come the day before. Nicolette brought back Monsieur Jean’s answer. He was not sick. He was busy. He would come very soon. As soon as he could. However, he was going to make a little journey. Madame must remember that he was in the habit of making journeys from time to time. Let there be no anxiety. Let them not be troubled about him.
Nicolette, on entering Monsieur Jean’s house, had repeated to him the very words of her mistress. That madame sent to know “why Monsieur Jean had not come the day before.” “It is two days that I have not been there,” said Jean Valjean mildly.
But the remark escaped the notice of Nicolette, who reported nothing of it to Cosette.
4
ATTRACTION AND EXTINCTION
DURING the last