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！
She had already valiantly renounced finery； had dressed herself in linen； and had put all her silks； all her ornaments； all her ribbons； and all her laces on her daughter； the only vanity which was left to her； and a holy one it was。
She sold all that she had； which produced for her two hundred francs； her little debts paid； she had only about eighty francs left。
At the age of twenty…two； on a beautiful spring morning； she quitted Paris； bearing her child on her back。 Any one who had seen these two pass would have had pity on them。 This woman had； in all the world； nothing but her child； and the child had； in all the world； no one but this woman。
Fantine had nursed her child； and this had tired her chest； and she coughed a little。
We shall have no further occasion to speak of M。 Felix Tholomyes。 Let us confine ourselves to saying； that； twenty years later； under King Louis Philippe； he was a great provincial lawyer； wealthy and influential； a wise elector； and a very severe juryman； he was still a man of pleasure。
Towards the middle of the day； after having； from time to time； for the sake of resting herself； travelled； for three or four sous a league； in what was then known as the Petites Voitures des Environs de Paris； the 〃little suburban coach service；〃 Fantine found herself at Montfermeil； in the alley Boulanger。
As she passed the Thenardier hostelry； the two little girls； blissful in the monster swing； had dazzled her in a manner； and she had halted in front of that vision of joy。
Charms exist。
These two little girls were a charm to this mother。
She gazed at them in much emotion。
The presence of angels is an announcement of Paradise。
She thought that； above this inn； she beheld the mysterious HERE of Providence。
These two little creatures were evidently happy。
She gazed at them； she admired them； in such emotion that at the moment when their mother was recovering her breath between two couplets of her song； she could not refrain from addressing to her the remark which we have just read：
〃You have two pretty children； Madame。〃
The most ferocious creatures are disarmed by caresses bestowed on their young。
The mother raised her head and thanked her； and bade the wayfarer sit down on the bench at the door； she herself being seated on the threshold。
The two women began to chat。
〃My name is Madame Thenardier；〃 said the mother of the two little girls。 〃We keep this inn。〃
Then； her mind still running on her romance； she resumed humming between her teeth：
〃It must be so； I am a knight；
And I am off to Palestine。〃
This Madame Thenardier was a sandy…plexioned woman； thin and angular the type of the soldier's wife in all its unpleasantness； and what was odd； with a languishing air； which she owed to her perusal of romances。
She was a simpering； but masculine creature。 Old romances produce that effect when rubbed against the imagination of cook…shop woman。
She was still young； she was barely thirty。 If this crouching woman had stood upright； her lofty stature and her frame of a perambulating colossus suitable for fairs； might have frightened the traveller at the outset； troubled her confidence； and disturbed what caused what we have to relate to vanish。 A person who is seated instead of standing erectdestinies hang upon such a thing as that。
The traveller told her story； with slight modifications。
That she was a working…woman； that her husband was dead； that her work in Paris had failed her； and that she was on her way to seek it elsewhere； in her own native parts； that she had left Paris that morning on foot； that； as she was carrying her child； and felt fatigued； she had got into the Villemomble coach when she met it； that from Villemomble she had e to Montfermeil on foot； that the little one had walked a little； but not much； because she was so young； and that she had been obliged to take her up； and the jewel had fallen asleep。
At this word she bestowed on her daughter a passionate kiss； which woke her。
The child opened her eyes； great blue eyes like her mother's； and looked atwhat？
Nothing； with that serious and sometimes severe air of little children； which is a mystery of their luminous innocence in the presence of our twilight of virtue。
One would say that they feel themselves to be angels； and that they know us to be men。
Then the child began to laugh； and although the mother held fast to her； she slipped to the ground with the unconquerable energy of a little being which wished to run。 All at once she caught sight of the two others in the swing； stopped short； and put out her tongue； in sign of admiration。
Mother Thenardier released her daughters； made them descend from the swing； and said：
〃Now amuse yourselves； all three of you。〃
Children bee acquainted quickly at that age； and at the expiration of a minute the little Thenardiers were playing with the new…er at making holes in the ground； which was an immense pleasure。
The new…er was very gay； the goodness of the mother is written in the gayety of the child； she had seized a scrap of wood which served her for a shovel； and energetically dug a cavity big enough for a fly。
The grave…digger's business bees a subject for laughter when performed by a child。
The two women pursued their chat。
〃What is your little one's name？〃
〃Cosette。〃
For Cosette； read Euphrasie。
The child's name was Euphrasie。 But out of Euphrasie the mother had made Cosette by that sweet and graceful instinct of mothers and of the populace which changes Josepha into Pepita； and Francoise into Sillette。
It is a sort of derivative which disarranges and disconcerts the whole science of etymologists。
We have known a grandmother who succeeded in turning Theodore into Gnon。
〃How old is she？〃
〃She is going on three。〃
〃That is the age of my eldest。〃
In the meantime； the three little girls were grouped in an attitude of profound anxiety and blissfulness； an event had happened； a big worm had emerged from the ground； and they were afraid； and they were in ecstasies over it。
Their radiant brows touched each other； one would have said that there were three heads in one aureole。
〃How easily children get acquainted at once！〃 exclaimed Mother Thenardier； 〃one would swear that they were three sisters！〃
This remark was probably the spark which the other mother had been waiting for。
She seized the Thenardier's hand； looked at her fixedly； and said：
〃Will you keep my child for me？〃
The Thenardier made one of those movements of surprise which signify neither assent nor refusal。
Cosette's mother continued：
〃You see； I cannot take my daughter to the country。
My work will not permit it。
With a child one can find no situation。 People are ridiculous in the country。
It was the good God who caused me to pass your inn。
When I caught sight of your little ones； so pretty； so clean； and so happy； it overwhelmed me。
I said： ‘Here is a good mother。
That is just the thing； that will make three sisters。'
And then； it will not be long before I return。 Will you keep my child for me？〃
〃I must see about it；〃 replied the Thenardier。
〃I will give you six francs a month。〃
Here a man's voice called from the depths of the cook…shop：
〃Not for less than seven francs。
And six months paid in advance。〃
〃Six times seven makes forty…two；〃 said the Thenardier。
〃I will give it；〃 said the mother。
〃And fifteen francs in addition for preliminary expenses；〃 added the man's voice。
〃Total； fifty…seven francs；〃 said Madame Thenardier。
And she hummed vaguely； with these figures：
〃It must be； said a warrior。〃
〃I will pay it；〃 said the mother。
〃I have eighty francs。
I shall have enough left to reach the country； by travelling on foot。 I shall earn money there； and as soon as I have a little I will return for my darling。〃
The man's voice resumed：
〃The little one has an outfit？〃
〃That is my husband；〃 said the Thenardier。
〃Of course she has an outfit； the poor treasure。I understood perfectly that it was your husband。And a beautiful outfit； too！ a senseless outfit； everything by the dozen； and silk gowns like a lady。
It is here； in my carpet…bag。〃
〃You must hand it over；〃 struck in the man's voice again。
〃Of course I shall give it to you；〃 said the mother。
〃It would be very queer if I were to leave my daughter quite naked！〃
The master's face appeared。
〃That's good；〃 said he。
The bargain was concluded。
The mother passed the night at the inn； gave up her money and left her child； fastened her carpet…bag once more； now reduced in volume by the removal of the outfit； and light henceforth and set out on the following morning； intending to return soon。
People arrange such departures tranquilly； but they are despairs！
A neighbor of the Thenardiers met this mother as she was setting out； and came back with the remark：
〃I have just seen a woman crying in the street so that it was enough to rend your heart。〃
When Cosette's mother had taken her departure； the man said to the woman：
〃That will serve to pay my note for one hundred and ten francs which falls due to…morrow； I lacked fifty francs。
Do you know that I should have had a bailiff and a protest after me？ You played the mouse…trap nicely with your young ones。〃
〃Without suspecting it；〃 said the woman。
BOOK FOURTH。TO CONFIDE IS SOMETIMES TO DELIVER INTO A PERSON'S POWER
CHAPTER II
FIRST SKETCH OF TWO UNPREPOSSESSING FIGURES
The mouse which had been caught was a pitiful specimen； but the cat rejoices even over a lean mouse。
Who were these Thenardiers？
Let us say a word or two of them now。
We will plete the sketch later on。
These beings belonged to that bastard class posed of coarse people who have been successful； and of intelligent people who have descended in the scale； which is between the class called 〃middle〃 and the class denominated as 〃inferior；〃 and which bines some of the defects of the second with nearly all the vices of the first； without possessing the generous impulse of the workingman nor the honest order of the bourgeois。
They were of those dwarfed natures which； if a dull fire chances to warm them up； easily bee monstrous。
There was in the woman a substratum of the brute； and in the man the material for a blackguard。 Both were susceptible； in the highest degree； of the sort of hideous progress which is acplished in the direction of evil。
There exist crab…like souls which are continually retreating towards the darkness； retrograding in life rather than advancing； employing experience to augment their deformity； growing incessantly worse； and being more and more impregnated with an ever…augmenting blackness。 This man and woman possessed such souls。
Thenardier； in particular； was troublesome for a physiognomist。 One can only look at some men to distrust them； for one feels that they are dark in both directions。
They are uneasy in the rear and threatening in front。
There is something of the unknown about them。 One can no more answer for what they have done than for what they will do。
The shadow which they bear in their glance denounces them。 From merely hearing them utter a word or seeing them make a gesture； one obtains a glimpse of sombre secrets in their past and of sombre mysteries in their future。
This Thenardier； if he himself was to be believed； had been a soldier a sergeant； he said。
He had probably been through the campaign of 1815； and had even conducted himself with tolerable valor； it would seem。 We shall see later on how much truth there was in this。
The sign of his hostelry was in allusion to one of his feats of arms。 He had painted it himself； for he knew how to do a little of everything； and badly。
It was at the epoch when the ancient classical romance which； after having been Clelie； was no longer anything but Lodoiska； still noble； but ever more and more vulgar； having fallen from Mademoiselle de Scuderi to Madame Bournon…Malarme； and from Madame de Lafayette to Madame Barthelemy…Hadot； was setting the loving hearts of the portresses of Paris aflame； and even ravaging the suburbs to some extent。 Madame Thenardier was just intelligent enough to read this sort of books。 She lived on them。
In them she drowned what brains she possessed。 This had given her； when very young； and even a little later； a sort of pensive attitude towards her husband； a scamp of a certain depth； a ruffian lettered to the extent of the grammar； coarse and fine at one and the same time； but； so far as sentimentalism was concerned； given to the perusal of Pigault…Lebrun； and 〃in what concerns the sex；〃 as he said in his jargona downright； unmitigated lout。
His wife was twelve or fifteen years younger than he was。
Later on； when her hair； arranged in a romantically drooping fashion； began to grow gray； when the Magaera began to be developed from the Pamela； the female Thenardier was nothing but a coarse； vicious woman； who had dabbled in stupid romances。
Now； one cannot read