按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
We stopped him to look into the matter。 He had this silver〃
〃And he told you；〃 interposed the Bishop with a smile； 〃that it had been given to him by a kind old fellow of a priest with whom he had passed the night？
I see how the matter stands。
And you have brought him back here？
It is a mistake。〃
〃In that case；〃 replied the brigadier； 〃we can let him go？〃
〃Certainly；〃 replied the Bishop。
The gendarmes released Jean Valjean； who recoiled。
〃Is it true that I am to be released？〃 he said； in an almost inarticulate voice； and as though he were talking in his sleep。
〃Yes； thou art released； dost thou not understand？〃 said one of the gendarmes。
〃My friend；〃 resumed the Bishop； 〃before you go； here are your candlesticks。
Take them。〃
He stepped to the chimney…piece； took the two silver candlesticks； and brought them to Jean Valjean。
The two women looked on without uttering a word； without a gesture； without a look which could disconcert the Bishop。
Jean Valjean was trembling in every limb。
He took the two candlesticks mechanically； and with a bewildered air。
〃Now；〃 said the Bishop； 〃go in peace。
By the way； when you return； my friend； it is not necessary to pass through the garden。 You can always enter and depart through the street door。
It is never fastened with anything but a latch； either by day or by night。〃
Then； turning to the gendarmes：
〃You may retire； gentlemen。〃
The gendarmes retired。
Jean Valjean was like a man on the point of fainting。
The Bishop drew near to him； and said in a low voice：
〃Do not forget； never forget； that you have promised to use this money in being an honest man。〃
Jean Valjean； who had no recollection of ever having promised anything； remained speechless。
The Bishop had emphasized the words when he uttered them。
He resumed with solemnity：
〃Jean Valjean； my brother； you no longer belong to evil； but to good。 It is your soul that I buy from you； I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition； and I give it to God。〃
BOOK SECONDTHE FALL
CHAPTER XIII
LITTLE GERVAIS
Jean Valjean left the town as though he were fleeing from it。 He set out at a very hasty pace through the fields； taking whatever roads and paths presented themselves to him； without perceiving that he was incessantly retracing his steps。
He wandered thus the whole morning； without having eaten anything and without feeling hungry。 He was the prey of a throng of novel sensations。
He was conscious of a sort of rage； he did not know against whom it was directed。 He could not have told whether he was touched or humiliated。 There came over him at moments a strange emotion which he resisted and to which he opposed the hardness acquired during the last twenty years of his life。
This state of mind fatigued him。
He perceived with dismay that the sort of frightful calm which the injustice of his misfortune had conferred upon him was giving way within him。 He asked himself what would replace this。
At times he would have actually preferred to be in prison with the gendarmes； and that things should not have happened in this way； it would have agitated him less。 Although the season was tolerably far advanced； there were still a few late flowers in the hedge…rows here and there； whose odor as he passed through them in his march recalled to him memories of his childhood。
These memories were almost intolerable to him； it was so long since they had recurred to him。
Unutterable thoughts assembled within him in this manner all day long。
As the sun declined to its setting； casting long shadows athwart the soil from every pebble； Jean Valjean sat down behind a bush upon a large ruddy plain； which was absolutely deserted。
There was nothing on the horizon except the Alps。
Not even the spire of a distant village。 Jean Valjean might have been three leagues distant from D A path which intersected the plain passed a few paces from the bush。
In the middle of this meditation； which would have contributed not a little to render his rags terrifying to any one who might have encountered him； a joyous sound became audible。
He turned his head and saw a little Savoyard； about ten years of age； ing up the path and singing； his hurdy…gurdy on his hip； and his marmot…box on his back；
One of those gay and gentle children； who go from land to land affording a view of their knees through the holes in their trousers。
Without stopping his song； the lad halted in his march from time to time； and played at knuckle…bones with some coins which he had in his handhis whole fortune； probably。
Among this money there was one forty…sou piece。
The child halted beside the bush； without perceiving Jean Valjean； and tossed up his handful of sous； which； up to that time； he had caught with a good deal of adroitness on the back of his hand。
This time the forty…sou piece escaped him； and went rolling towards the brushwood until it reached Jean Valjean。
Jean Valjean set his foot upon it。
In the meantime； the child had looked after his coin and had caught sight of him。
He showed no astonishment； but walked straight up to the man。
The spot was absolutely solitary。
As far as the eye could see there was not a person on the plain or on the path。
The only sound was the tiny； feeble cries of a flock of birds of passage； which was traversing the heavens at an immense height。
The child was standing with his back to the sun； which cast threads of gold in his hair and empurpled with its blood…red gleam the savage face of Jean Valjean。
〃Sir；〃 said the little Savoyard； with that childish confidence which is posed of ignorance and innocence； 〃my money。〃
〃What is your name？〃 said Jean Valjean。
〃Little Gervais； sir。〃
〃Go away；〃 said Jean Valjean。
〃Sir；〃 resumed the child； 〃give me back my money。〃
Jean Valjean dropped his head； and made no reply。
The child began again； 〃My money； sir。〃
Jean Valjean's eyes remained fixed on the earth。
〃My piece of money！〃 cried the child； 〃my white piece！ my silver！〃
It seemed as though Jean Valjean did not hear him。
The child grasped him by the collar of his blouse and shook him。
At the same time he made an effort to displace the big iron…shod shoe which rested on his treasure。
〃I want my piece of money！ my piece of forty sous！〃
The child wept。
Jean Valjean raised his head。
He still remained seated。
His eyes were troubled。
He gazed at the child； in a sort of amazement； then he stretched out his hand towards his cudgel and cried in a terrible voice； 〃Who's there？〃
〃I； sir；〃 replied the child。
〃Little Gervais！
I！
Give me back my forty sous； if you please！
Take your foot away； sir； if you please！〃
Then irritated； though he was so small； and being almost menacing：
〃e now； will you take your foot away？
Take your foot away； or we'll see！〃
〃Ah！
It's still you！〃 said Jean Valjean； and rising abruptly to his feet； his foot still resting on the silver piece； he added：
〃Will you take yourself off！〃
The frightened child looked at him； then began to tremble from head to foot； and after a few moments of stupor he set out； running at the top of his speed； without daring to turn his neck or to utter a cry。
Nevertheless； lack of breath forced him to halt after a certain distance； and Jean Valjean heard him sobbing； in the midst of his own revery。
At the end of a few moments the child had disappeared。
The sun had set。
The shadows were descending around Jean Valjean。
He had eaten nothing all day； it is probable that he was feverish。
He had remained standing and had not changed his attitude after the child's flight。
The breath heaved his chest at long and irregular intervals。
His gaze； fixed ten or twelve paces in front of him； seemed to be scrutinizing with profound attention the shape of an ancient fragment of blue earthenware which had fallen in the grass。 All at once he shivered； he had just begun to feel the chill of evening。
He settled his cap more firmly on his brow； sought mechanically to cross and button his blouse； advanced a step and stopped to pick up his cudgel。
At that moment he caught sight of the forty…sou piece； which his foot had half ground into the earth； and which was shining among the pebbles。
It was as though he had received a galvanic shock。 〃What is this？〃 he muttered between his teeth。
He recoiled three paces； then halted； without being able to detach his gaze from the spot which his foot had trodden but an instant before； as though the thing which lay glittering there in the gloom had been an open eye riveted upon him。
At the expiration of a few moments he darted convulsively towards the silver coin； seized it； and straightened himself up again and began to gaze afar off over the plain； at the same time casting his eyes towards all points of the horizon； as he stood there erect and shivering； like a terrified wild animal which is seeking refuge。
He saw nothing。
Night was falling； the plain was cold and vague； great banks of violet haze were rising in the gleam of the twilight。
He said； 〃Ah！〃 and set out rapidly in the direction in which the child had disappeared。
After about thirty paces he paused； looked about him and saw nothing。
Then he shouted with all his might：
〃Little Gervais！
Little Gervais！〃
He paused and waited。
There was no reply。
The landscape was gloomy and deserted。
He was enpassed by space。 There was nothing around him but an obscurity in which his gaze was lost； and a silence which engulfed his voice。
An icy north wind was blowing； and imparted to things around him a sort of lugubrious life。
The bushes shook their thin little arms with incredible fury。
One would have said that they were threatening and pursuing some one。
He set out on his march again； then he began to run； and from time to time he halted and shouted into that solitude； with a voice which was the most formidable and the most disconsolate that it was possible to hear； 〃Little Gervais！
Little Gervais！〃
Assuredly； if the child had heard him； he would have been alarmed and would have taken good care not to show himself。
But the child was no doubt already far away。
He encountered a priest on horseback。
He stepped up to him and said：
〃Monsieur le Cure； have you seen a child pass？〃
〃No；〃 said the priest。
〃One named Little Gervais？〃
〃I have seen no one。〃
He drew two five…franc pieces from his money…bag and handed them to the priest。
〃Monsieur le Cure； this is for your poor people。
Monsieur le Cure； he was a little lad； about ten years old； with a marmot； I think； and a hurdy…gurdy。 One of those Savoyards； you know？〃
〃I have not seen him。〃
〃Little Gervais？
There are no villages here？
Can you tell me？〃
〃If he is like what you say； my friend； he is a little stranger。 Such persons pass through these parts。
We know nothing of them。〃
Jean Valjean seized two more coins of five francs each with violence； and gave them to the priest。
〃For your poor；〃 he said。
Then he added； wildly：
〃Monsieur l'Abbe； have me arrested。
I am a thief。〃
The priest put spurs to his horse and fled in haste； much alarmed。
Jean Valjean set out on a run； in the direction which he had first taken。
In this way he traversed a tolerably long distance； gazing； calling； shouting； but he met no one。
Two or three times he ran across the plain towards something which conveyed to him the effect of a human being reclining or crouching down； it turned out to be nothing but brushwood or rocks nearly on a level with the earth。 At length； at a spot where three paths intersected each other； he stopped。
The moon had risen。
He sent his gaze into the distance and shouted for the last time； 〃Little Gervais！
Little Gervais！ Little Gervais！〃
His shout died away in the mist； without even awakening an echo。
He murmured yet once more； 〃Little Gervais！〃 but in a feeble and almost inarticulate voice。
It was his last effort； his legs gave way abruptly under him； as though an invisible power had suddenly overwhelmed him with the weight of his evil conscience； he fell exhausted； on a large stone； his fists clenched in his hair and his face on his knees； and he cried； 〃I am a wretch！〃
Then his heart burst； and he began to cry。
It was the first time that he had wept in nineteen years。
When Jean Valjean left the Bishop's house； he was； as we have seen； quite thrown out of everything that had been his thought hitherto。 He could not yield to the evidence of what was going on within him。 He hardened himself against the angelic action and the gentle words of the old man。
〃You have promised me to bee an honest man。 I buy your soul。
I take it away from the spirit of perversity； I give it to the good God。〃
This recurred to his mind unceasingly。
To this celestial kindness he opposed pride； which is the fortress of evil within us。 He was indistin