Page 190 - les-miserables

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 becoming
almost menacing:—
‘Come 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 abrupt-
ly 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 trem-
ble 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.

190 Les Miserables