Page 2257 - les-miserables

‘Permission to adore each other!’
They did not require him to repeat it twice. So much the
worse! the chirping began. They talked low. Marius, resting
on his elbow on his reclining chair, Cosette standing be-
side him. ‘Oh, heavens!’ murmured Cosette, ‘I see you once
again! it is thou! it is you! The idea of going and fighting
like that! But why? It is horrible. I have been dead for four
months. Oh! how wicked it was of you to go to that battle!
What had I done to you? I pardon you, but you will never do
it again. A little while ago, when they came to tell us to come
to you, I still thought that I was about to die, but it was from
joy. I was so sad! I have not taken the time to dress myself,
I must frighten people with my looks! What will your rela-
tives say to see me in a crumpled collar? Do speak! You let
me do all the talking. We are still in the Rue de l’Homme
Arme. It seems that your shoulder was terrible. They told
me that you could put your fist in it. And then, it seems that
they cut your flesh with the scissors. That is frightful. I have
cried till I have no eyes left. It is queer that a person can suf-
fer like that. Your grandfather has a very kindly air. Don’t
disturb yourself, don’t rise on your elbow, you will injure
yourself. Oh! how happy I am! So our unhappiness is over!
I am quite foolish. I had things to say to you, and I no lon-
ger know in the least what they were. Do you still love me?
We live in the Rue de l’Homme Arme. There is no garden. I
made lint all the time; stay, sir, look, it is your fault, I have a
callous on my fingers.’
‘Angel!’ said Marius.
Angel is the only word in the language which cannot

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