Page 2438 - les-miserables

placed it with a smile.
Cosette took both the old man’s hands in hers.
‘My God!’ said she, ‘your hands are still colder than be-
fore. Are you ill? Do you suffer?’
‘I? No,’ replied Jean Valjean. ‘I am very well. Only …’
He paused.
‘Only what?’
‘I am going to die presently.’
Cosette and Marius shuddered.
‘To die!’ exclaimed Marius.
‘Yes, but that is nothing,’ said Jean Valjean.
He took breath, smiled and resumed:
‘Cosette, thou wert talking to me, go on, so thy little rob-
in red-breast is dead? Speak, so that I may hear thy voice.’
Marius gazed at the old man in amazement.
Cosette uttered a heartrending cry.
‘Father! my father! you will live. You are going to live. I
insist upon your living, do you hear?’
Jean Valjean raised his head towards her with adora-
tion.
‘Oh! yes, forbid me to die. Who knows? Perhaps I shall
obey. I was on the verge of dying when you came. That
stopped me, it seemed to me that I was born again.’
‘You are full of strength and life,’ cried Marius. ‘Do you
imagine that a person can die like this? You have had sor-
row, you shall have no more. It is I who ask your forgiveness,
and on my knees! You are going to live, and to live with
us, and to live a long time. We take possession of you once
more. There are two of us here who will henceforth have no

2438 Les Miserables