Page 432 - les-miserables

When her prayer was finished, ‘Sister,’ she said, ‘I am
willing to lie down again; I will do anything you wish; I was
naughty just now; I beg your pardon for having spoken so
loud; it is very wrong to talk loudly; I know that well, my
good sister, but, you see, I am very happy: the good God
is good; M. Madeleine is good; just think! he has gone to
Montfermeil to get my little Cosette.’
She lay down again, with the nun’s assistance, helped the
nun to arrange her pillow, and kissed the little silver cross
which she wore on her neck, and which Sister Simplice had
given her.
‘My child,’ said the sister, ‘try to rest now, and do not talk
any more.’
Fantine took the sister’s hand in her moist hands, and the
latter was pained to feel that perspiration.
‘He set out this morning for Paris; in fact, he need not
even go through Paris; Montfermeil is a little to the left
as you come thence. Do you remember how he said to me
yesterday, when I spoke to him of Cosette, Soon, soon? He
wants to give me a surprise, you know! he made me sign a
letter so that she could be taken from the Thenardiers; they
cannot say anything, can they? they will give back Cosette,
for they have been paid; the authorities will not allow them
to keep the child since they have received their pay. Do not
make signs to me that I must not talk, sister! I am extreme-
ly happy; I am doing well; I am not ill at all any more; I
am going to see Cosette again; I am even quite hungry; it
is nearly five years since I saw her last; you cannot imagine
how much attached one gets to children, and then, she will

432 Les Miserables