Page 2346 - les-miserables

before a mirror, and remained motionless. Then, as though
replying to some inward course of reasoning, he said, as he
gazed at the mirror, which he did not see:
‘While, at present, I am relieved.’
He took up his march again, and walked to the other
end of the drawing-room. At the moment when he turned
round, he perceived that Marius was watching his walk.
Then he said, with an inexpressible intonation:
‘I drag my leg a little. Now you understand why!’
Then he turned fully round towards Marius:
‘And now, sir, imagine this: I have said nothing, I have
remained Monsieur Fauchelevent, I have taken my place in
your house, I am one of you, I am in my chamber, I come to
breakfast in the morning in slippers, in the evening all three
of us go to the play, I accompany Madame Pontmercy to
the Tuileries, and to the Place Royale, we are together, you
think me your equal; one fine day you are there, and I am
there, we are conversing, we are laughing; all at once, you
hear a voice shouting this name: ‘Jean Valjean!’ and behold,
that terrible hand, the police, darts from the darkness, and
abruptly tears off my mask!’
Again he paused; Marius had sprung to his feet with a
shudder. Jean Valjean resumed:
‘What do you say to that?’
Marius’ silence answered for him.
Jean Valjean continued:
‘You see that I am right in not holding my peace. Be hap-
py, be in heaven, be the angel of an angel, exist in the sun,
be content therewith, and do not trouble yourself about

2346 Les Miserables