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In five years she will have a white veil； and openwork stockings； she will look like a little woman。
O my good sister； you do not know how foolish I bee when I think of my daughter's first munion！〃
She began to laugh。
He had released Fantine's hand。
He listened to her words as one listens to the sighing of the breeze； with his eyes on the ground； his mind absorbed in reflection which had no bottom。
All at once she ceased speaking； and this caused him to raise his head mechanically。 Fantine had bee terrible。
She no longer spoke； she no longer breathed； she had raised herself to a sitting posture； her thin shoulder emerged from her chemise； her face； which had been radiant but a moment before； was ghastly； and she seemed to have fixed her eyes； rendered large with terror； on something alarming at the other extremity of the room。
〃Good God！〃 he exclaimed； 〃what ails you； Fantine？〃
She made no reply； she did not remove her eyes from the object which she seemed to see。
She removed one hand from his arm； and with the other made him a sign to look behind him。
He turned； and beheld Javert。
BOOK EIGHTH。A COUNTER…BLOW
CHAPTER III
JAVERT SATISFIED
This is what had taken place。
The half…hour after midnight had just struck when M。 Madeleine quitted the Hall of Assizes in Arras。
He regained his inn just in time to set out again by the mail…wagon； in which he had engaged his place。 A little before six o'clock in the morning he had arrived at M。 sur M。； and his first care had been to post a letter to M。 Laffitte； then to enter the infirmary and see Fantine。
However； he had hardly quitted the audience hall of the Court of Assizes； when the district…attorney； recovering from his first shock； had taken the word to deplore the mad deed of the honorable mayor of M。 sur M。； to declare that his convictions had not been in the least modified by that curious incident； which would be explained thereafter； and to demand； in the meantime； the condemnation of that Champmathieu； who was evidently the real Jean Valjean。 The district…attorney's persistence was visibly at variance with the sentiments of every one； of the public； of the court； and of the jury。
The counsel for the defence had some difficulty in refuting this harangue and in establishing that； in consequence of the revelations of M。 Madeleine； that is to say； of the real Jean Valjean； the aspect of the matter had been thoroughly altered； and that the jury had before their eyes now only an innocent man。 Thence the lawyer had drawn some epiphonemas； not very fresh； unfortunately； upon judicial errors； etc。； etc。； the President； in his summing up； had joined the counsel for the defence； and in a few minutes the jury had thrown Champmathieu out of the case。
Nevertheless； the district…attorney was bent on having a Jean Valjean； and as he had no longer Champmathieu； he took Madeleine。
Immediately after Champmathieu had been set at liberty； the district…attorney shut himself up with the President。 They conferred 〃as to the necessity of seizing the person of M。 le Maire of M。 sur M。〃 This phrase； in which there was a great deal of of； is the district…attorney's； written with his own hand； on the minutes of his report to the attorney…general。 His first emotion having passed off； the President did not offer many objections。 Justice must； after all； take its course。
And then； when all was said； although the President was a kindly and a tolerably intelligent man； he was； at the same time； a devoted and almost an ardent royalist； and he had been shocked to hear the Mayor of M。 sur M。 say the Emperor； and not Bonaparte； when alluding to the landing at Cannes。
The order for his arrest was accordingly despatched。 The district…attorney forwarded it to M。 sur M。 by a special messenger； at full speed； and entrusted its execution to Police Inspector Javert。
The reader knows that Javert had returned to M。 sur M。 immediately after having given his deposition。
Javert was just getting out of bed when the messenger handed him the order of arrest and the mand to produce the prisoner。
The messenger himself was a very clever member of the police； who； in two words； informed Javert of what had taken place at Arras。 The order of arrest； signed by the district…attorney； was couched in these words：
〃Inspector Javert will apprehend the body of the Sieur Madeleine； mayor of M。 sur M。； who； in this day's session of the court； was recognized as the liberated convict； Jean Valjean。〃
Any one who did not know Javert； and who had chanced to see him at the moment when he penetrated the antechamber of the infirmary； could have divined nothing of what had taken place； and would have thought his air the most ordinary in the world。
He was cool； calm； grave； his gray hair was perfectly smooth upon his temples； and he had just mounted the stairs with his habitual deliberation。 Any one who was thoroughly acquainted with him； and who had examined him attentively at the moment； would have shuddered。
The buckle of his leather stock was under his left ear instead of at the nape of his neck。
This betrayed unwonted agitation。
Javert was a plete character； who never had a wrinkle in his duty or in his uniform； methodical with malefactors； rigid with the buttons of his coat。
That he should have set the buckle of his stock awry； it was indispensable that there should have taken place in him one of those emotions which may be designated as internal earthquakes。
He had e in a simple way； had made a requisition on the neighboring post for a corporal and four soldiers； had left the soldiers in the courtyard； had had Fantine's room pointed out to him by the portress； who was utterly unsuspicious； accustomed as she was to seeing armed men inquiring for the mayor。
On arriving at Fantine's chamber； Javert turned the handle； pushed the door open with the gentleness of a sick…nurse or a police spy； and entered。
Properly speaking； he did not enter。
He stood erect in the half…open door； his hat on his head and his left hand thrust into his coat； which was buttoned up to the chin。
In the bend of his elbow the leaden head of his enormous cane； which was hidden behind him； could be seen。
Thus he remained for nearly a minute； without his presence being perceived。
All at once Fantine raised her eyes； saw him； and made M。 Madeleine turn round。
The instant that Madeleine's glance encountered Javert's glance； Javert； without stirring； without moving from his post； without approaching him； became terrible。
No human sentiment can be as terrible as joy。
It was the visage of a demon who has just found his damned soul。
The satisfaction of at last getting hold of Jean Valjean caused all that was in his soul to appear in his countenance。
The depths having been stirred up； mounted to the surface。
The humiliation of having； in some slight degree； lost the scent； and of having indulged； for a few moments； in an error with regard to Champmathieu； was effaced by pride at having so well and accurately divined in the first place； and of having for so long cherished a just instinct。 Javert's content shone forth in his sovereign attitude。
The deformity of triumph overspread that narrow brow。
All the demonstrations of horror which a satisfied face can afford were there。
Javert was in heaven at that moment。
Without putting the thing clearly to himself； but with a confused intuition of the necessity of his presence and of his success； he； Javert； personified justice； light； and truth in their celestial function of crushing out evil。 Behind him and around him； at an infinite distance； he had authority； reason； the case judged； the legal conscience； the public prosecution； all the stars； he was protecting order； he was causing the law to yield up its thunders； he was avenging society； he was lending a helping hand to the absolute； he was standing erect in the midst of a glory。
There existed in his victory a remnant of defiance and of bat。
Erect； haughty； brilliant； he flaunted abroad in open day the superhuman bestiality of a ferocious archangel。 The terrible shadow of the action which he was acplishing caused the vague flash of the social sword to be visible in his clenched fist； happy and indignant； he held his heel upon crime； vice； rebellion； perdition； hell； he was radiant； he exterminated； he smiled； and there was an incontestable grandeur in this monstrous Saint Michael。
Javert； though frightful； had nothing ignoble about him。
Probity； sincerity； candor； conviction； the sense of duty； are things which may bee hideous when wrongly directed； but which； even when hideous； remain grand：
their majesty； the majesty peculiar to the human conscience； clings to them in the midst of horror； they are virtues which have one vice；error。 The honest； pitiless joy of a fanatic in the full flood of his atrocity preserves a certain lugubriously venerable radiance。 Without himself suspecting the fact； Javert in his formidable happiness was to be pitied； as is every ignorant man who triumphs。 Nothing could be so poignant and so terrible as this face； wherein was displayed all that may be designated as the evil of the good。
BOOK EIGHTH。A COUNTER…BLOW
CHAPTER IV
AUTHORITY REASSERTS ITS RIGHTS
Fantine had not seen Javert since the day on which the mayor had torn her from the man。
Her ailing brain prehended nothing； but the only thing which she did not doubt was that he had e to get her。 She could not endure that terrible face； she felt her life quitting her； she hid her face in both hands； and shrieked in her anguish：
〃Monsieur Madeleine； save me！〃
Jean Valjeanwe shall henceforth not speak of him otherwise had risen。
He said to Fantine in the gentlest and calmest of voices：
〃Be at ease； it is not for you that he is e。〃
Then he addressed Javert； and said：
〃I know what you want。〃
Javert replied：
〃Be quick about it！〃
There lay in the inflection of voice which acpanied these words something indescribably fierce and frenzied。
Javert did not say； 〃Be quick about it！〃 he said 〃Bequiabouit。〃
No orthography can do justice to the accent with which it was uttered： it was no longer a human word：
it was a roar。
He did not proceed according to his custom； he did not enter into the matter； he exhibited no warrant of arrest。
In his eyes； Jean Valjean was a sort of mysterious batant； who was not to be laid hands upon； a wrestler in the dark whom he had had in his grasp for the last five years； without being able to throw him。 This arrest was not a beginning； but an end。
He confined himself to saying； 〃Be quick about it！〃
As he spoke thus； he did not advance a single step； he hurled at Jean Valjean a glance which he threw out like a grappling…hook； and with which he was accustomed to draw wretches violently to him。
It was this glance which Fantine had felt penetrating to the very marrow of her bones two months previously。
At Javert's exclamation； Fantine opened her eyes once more。 But the mayor was there； what had she to fear？
Javert advanced to the middle of the room； and cried：
〃See here now！
Art thou ing？〃
The unhappy woman glanced about her。
No one was present excepting the nun and the mayor。
To whom could that abject use of 〃thou〃 be addressed？
To her only。
She shuddered。
Then she beheld a most unprecedented thing； a thing so unprecedented that nothing equal to it had appeared to her even in the blackest deliriums of fever。
She beheld Javert； the police spy； seize the mayor by the collar； she saw the mayor bow his head。
It seemed to her that the world was ing to an end。
Javert had； in fact； grasped Jean Valjean by the collar。
〃Monsieur le Maire！〃 shrieked Fantine。
Javert burst out laughing with that frightful laugh which displayed all his gums。
〃There is no longer any Monsieur le Maire here！〃
Jean Valjean made no attempt to disengage the hand which grasped the collar of his coat。
He said：
〃Javert〃
Javert interrupted him：
〃Call me Mr。 Inspector。〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said Jean Valjean； 〃I should like to say a word to you in private。〃
〃Aloud！
Say it aloud！〃 replied Javert； 〃people are in the habit of talking aloud to me。〃
Jean Valjean went on in a lower tone：
〃I have a request to make of you〃
〃I tell you to speak loud。〃
〃But you alone should hear it〃
〃What difference does that make to me？
I shall not listen。〃
Jean Valjean turned towards him and said very rapidly and in a very low voice：
〃Grant me three days' grace！ three days in which to go and fetch the child of this unhappy woman。
I will pay whatever is necessary。 You shall acpany me if you choose。〃
〃You are making sport of me！〃 cried Javert。
〃e now； I did not think you such a fool！
You ask me to give you three days in which to run away！
You say that it is for the purpose of fetching that creature's child！
Ah！
Ah！
That's good！
That's really capital！〃
Fantine was seized with a fit of trembling。
〃My child！〃 she cried； 〃to go