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〃Hold！〃 said he； 〃and what about that poor woman？〃
Here a fresh crisis declared itself。
Fantine； by appearing thus abruptly in his revery； produced the effect of an unexpected ray of light； it seemed to him as though everything about him were undergoing a change of aspect：
he exclaimed：
〃Ah！ but I have hitherto considered no one but myself； it is proper for me to hold my tongue or to denounce myself； to conceal my person or to save my soul； to be a despicable and respected magistrate； or an infamous and venerable convict； it is I； it is always I and nothing but I： but； good God！ all this is egotism； these are diverse forms of egotism； but it is egotism all the same。 What if I were to think a little about others？
The highest holiness is to think of others； e； let us examine the matter。 The _I_ excepted； the _I_ effaced； the _I_ forgotten； what would be the result of all this？
What if I denounce myself？
I am arrested； this Champmathieu is released； I am put back in the galleys； that is well and what then？
What is going on here？
Ah！ here is a country； a town； here are factories； an industry； workers； both men and women； aged grandsires； children； poor people！
All this I have created； all these I provide with their living； everywhere where there is a smoking chimney； it is I who have placed the brand on the hearth and meat in the pot； I have created ease； circulation； credit； before me there was nothing； I have elevated； vivified； informed with life； fecundated； stimulated； enriched the whole country…side； lacking me； the soul is lacking； I take myself off； everything dies： and this woman； who has suffered so much； who possesses so many merits in spite of her fall； the cause of all whose misery I have unwittingly been！
And that child whom I meant to go in search of； whom I have promised to her mother； do I not also owe something to this woman； in reparation for the evil which I have done her？ If I disappear； what happens？
The mother dies； the child bees what it can； that is what will take place； if I denounce myself。 If I do not denounce myself？ e； let us see how it will be if I do not denounce myself。〃
After putting this question to himself； he paused； he seemed to undergo a momentary hesitation and trepidation； but it did not last long； and he answered himself calmly：
〃Well； this man is going to the galleys； it is true； but what the deuce！ he has stolen！
There is no use in my saying that he has not been guilty of theft； for he has！
I remain here； I go on： in ten years I shall have made ten millions； I scatter them over the country； I have nothing of my own； what is that to me？ It is not for myself that I am doing it； the prosperity of all goes on augmenting； industries are aroused and animated； factories and shops are multiplied； families； a hundred families； a thousand families； are happy； the district bees populated； villages spring up where there were only farms before； farms rise where there was nothing； wretchedness disappears； and with wretchedness debauchery； prostitution； theft； murder； all vices disappear； all crimes：
and this poor mother rears her child； and behold a whole country rich and honest！
Ah！
I was a fool！ I was absurd！ what was that I was saying about denouncing myself？ I really must pay attention and not be precipitate about anything。 What！ because it would have pleased me to play the grand and generous； this is melodrama； after all； because I should have thought of no one but myself； the idea！ for the sake of saving from a punishment； a trifle exaggerated； perhaps； but just at bottom； no one knows whom； a thief； a good…for…nothing； evidently； a whole country…side must perish！ a poor woman must die in the hospital！ a poor little girl must die in the street！ like dogs； ah； this is abominable！ And without the mother even having seen her child once more； almost without the child's having known her mother； and all that for the sake of an old wretch of an apple…thief who； most assuredly； has deserved the galleys for something else； if not for that； fine scruples； indeed； which save a guilty man and sacrifice the innocent； which save an old vagabond who has only a few years to live at most； and who will not be more unhappy in the galleys than in his hovel； and which sacrifice a whole population； mothers； wives； children。 This poor little Cosette who has no one in the world but me； and who is； no doubt； blue with cold at this moment in the den of those Thenardiers； those peoples are rascals； and I was going to neglect my duty towards all these poor creatures； and I was going off to denounce myself； and I was about to mit that unspeakable folly！ Let us put it at the worst：
suppose that there is a wrong action on my part in this； and that my conscience will reproach me for it some day； to accept； for the good of others； these reproaches which weigh only on myself； this evil action which promises my soul alone； in that lies self…sacrifice； in that alone there is virtue。〃
He rose and resumed his march； this time； he seemed to be content。
Diamonds are found only in the dark places of the earth； truths are found only in the depths of thought。
It seemed to him； that； after having descended into these depths； after having long groped among the darkest of these shadows； he had at last found one of these diamonds； one of these truths； and that he now held it in his hand； and he was dazzled as he gazed upon it。
〃Yes；〃 he thought； 〃this is right； I am on the right road； I have the solution； I must end by holding fast to something； my resolve is taken； let things take their course； let us no longer vacillate； let us no longer hang back； this is for the interest of all； not for my own； I am Madeleine； and Madeleine I remain。
Woe to the man who is Jean Valjean！
I am no longer he； I do not know that man； I no longer know anything； it turns out that some one is Jean Valjean at the present moment； let him look out for himself； that does not concern me； it is a fatal name which was floating abroad in the night； if it halts and descends on a head； so much the worse for that head。〃
He looked into the little mirror which hung above his chimney…piece； and said：
〃Hold！ it has relieved me to e to a decision； I am quite another man now。〃
He proceeded a few paces further； then he stopped short。
〃e！〃 he said； 〃I must not flinch before any of the consequences of the resolution which I have once adopted； there are still threads which attach me to that Jean Valjean； they must be broken； in this very room there are objects which would betray me； dumb things which would bear witness against me； it is settled； all these things must disappear。〃
He fumbled in his pocket； drew out his purse； opened it； and took out a small key； he inserted the key in a lock whose aperture could hardly be seen； so hidden was it in the most sombre tones of the design which covered the wall…paper； a secret receptacle opened； a sort of false cupboard constructed in the angle between the wall and the chimney…piece； in this hiding…place there were some rags a blue linen blouse； an old pair of trousers； an old knapsack； and a huge thorn cudgel shod with iron at both ends。
Those who had seen Jean Valjean at the epoch when he passed through D in October； 1815； could easily have recognized all the pieces of this miserable outfit。
He had preserved them as he had preserved the silver candlesticks； in order to remind himself continually of his starting…point； but he had concealed all that came from the galleys； and he had allowed the candlesticks which came from the Bishop to be seen。
He cast a furtive glance towards the door； as though he feared that it would open in spite of the bolt which fastened it； then； with a quick and abrupt movement； he took the whole in his arms at once； without bestowing so much as a glance on the things which he had so religiously and so perilously preserved for so many years； and flung them all； rags； cudgel； knapsack； into the fire。
He closed the false cupboard again； and with redoubled precautions； henceforth unnecessary； since it was now empty； he concealed the door behind a heavy piece of furniture； which he pushed in front of it。
After the lapse of a few seconds； the room and the opposite wall were lighted up with a fierce； red； tremulous glow。
Everything was on fire； the thorn cudgel snapped and threw out sparks to the middle of the chamber。
As the knapsack was consumed； together with the hideous rags which it contained； it revealed something which sparkled in the ashes。 By bending over； one could have readily recognized a coin；no doubt the forty…sou piece stolen from the little Savoyard。
He did not look at the fire； but paced back and forth with the same step。
All at once his eye fell on the two silver candlesticks； which shone vaguely on the chimney…piece； through the glow。
〃Hold！〃 he thought； 〃the whole of Jean Valjean is still in them。 They must be destroyed also。〃
He seized the two candlesticks。
There was still fire enough to allow of their being put out of shape； and converted into a sort of unrecognizable bar of metal。
He bent over the hearth and warmed himself for a moment。
He felt a sense of real fort。
〃How good warmth is！〃 said he。
He stirred the live coals with one of the candlesticks。
A minute more； and they were both in the fire。
At that moment it seemed to him that he heard a voice within him shouting：
〃Jean Valjean！
Jean Valjean！〃
His hair rose upright：
he became like a man who is listening to some terrible thing。
〃Yes； that's it！ finish！〃 said the voice。
〃plete what you are about！
Destroy these candlesticks！
Annihilate this souvenir！ Forget the Bishop！
Forget everything！
Destroy this Champmathieu； do！ That is right！
Applaud yourself！
So it is settled； resolved； fixed； agreed：
here is an old man who does not know what is wanted of him； who has； perhaps； done nothing； an innocent man； whose whole misfortune lies in your name； upon whom your name weighs like a crime； who is about to be taken for you； who will be condemned； who will finish his days in abjectness and horror。
That is good！ Be an honest man yourself； remain Monsieur le Maire； remain honorable and honored； enrich the town； nourish the indigent； rear the orphan； live happy； virtuous； and admired； and； during this time； while you are here in the midst of joy and light； there will be a man who will wear your red blouse； who will bear your name in ignominy； and who will drag your chain in the galleys。
Yes； it is well arranged thus。
Ah； wretch！〃
The perspiration streamed from his brow。
He fixed a haggard eye on the candlesticks。
But that within him which had spoken had not finished。
The voice continued：
〃Jean Valjean； there will be around you many voices； which will make a great noise； which will talk very loud； and which will bless you； and only one which no one will hear； and which will curse you in the dark。
Well！ listen； infamous man！
All those benedictions will fall back before they reach heaven； and only the malediction will ascend to God。〃
This voice； feeble at first； and which had proceeded from the most obscure depths of his conscience； had gradually bee startling and formidable； and he now heard it in his very ear。
It seemed to him that it had detached itself from him； and that it was now speaking outside of him。
He thought that he heard the last words so distinctly； that he glanced around the room in a sort of terror。
〃Is there any one here？〃 he demanded aloud； in utter bewilderment。
Then he resumed； with a laugh which resembled that of an idiot：
〃How stupid I am！
There can be no one！〃
There was some one； but the person who was there was of those whom the human eye cannot see。
He placed the candlesticks on the chimney…piece。
Then he resumed his monotonous and lugubrious tramp； which troubled the dreams of the sleeping man beneath him； and awoke him with a start。
This tramping to and fro soothed and at the same time intoxicated him。 It sometimes seems； on supreme occasions； as though people moved about for the purpose of asking advice of everything that they may encounter by change of place。
After the lapse of a few minutes he no longer knew his position。
He now recoiled in equal terror before both the resolutions at which he had arrived in turn。
The two ideas which counselled him appeared to him equally fatal。
What a fatality！
What conjunction that that Champmathieu should have been taken for him； to be overwhelmed by precisely the means which Providence seemed to have employed； at first； to strengthen his position！
There was a moment when he reflected on the future。
Denounce himself； great God！
Deliver himself up！
With immense despair he faced all that he should be obliged to leave； all that he should be obliged to take up once more。
He should have to bid farewell to that existence which was so good； so pure； so radiant； to the respect of all； to honor； to liberty。
He should never more stroll in the fields； he should never mo