Page 372 - les-miserables

‘I am to have thirty francs a day. The days of rest to be
paid for also—not a farthing less; and the beast’s food to be
at Monsieur le Maire’s expense.’
M. Madeleine drew three napoleons from his purse and
laid them on the table.
‘Here is the pay for two days in advance.’
‘Fourthly, for such a journey a cabriolet would be too
heavy, and would fatigue the horse. Monsieur le Maire must
consent to travel in a little tilbury that I own.’
‘I consent to that.’
‘It is light, but it has no cover.’
‘That makes no difference to me.’
‘Has Monsieur le Maire reflected that we are in the mid-
dle of winter?’
M. Madeleine did not reply. The Fleming resumed:—
‘That it is very cold?’
M. Madeleine preserved silence.
Master Scaufflaire continued:—
‘That it may rain?’
M. Madeleine raised his head and said:—
‘The tilbury and the horse will be in front of my door to-
morrow morning at half-past four o’clock.’
‘Of course, Monsieur le Maire,’ replied Scaufflaire; then,
scratching a speck in the wood of the table with his thumb-
nail, he resumed with that careless air which the Flemings
understand so well how to mingle with their shrewdness:—
‘But this is what I am thinking of now: Monsieur le Maire
has not told me where he is going. Where is Monsieur le
Maire going?’

372 Les Miserables