Page 1275 - les-miserables

CHAPTER VII

STRATEGY AND TACTICS

Marius, with a load upon his breast, was on the point
of descending from the species of observatory which he
had improvised, when a sound attracted his attention and
caused him to remain at his post.
The door of the attic had just burst open abruptly. The
eldest girl made her appearance on the threshold. On her
feet, she had large, coarse, men’s shoes, bespattered with
mud, which had splashed even to her red ankles, and she
was wrapped in an old mantle which hung in tatters. Mar-
ius had not seen it on her an hour previously, but she had
probably deposited it at his door, in order that she might in-
spire the more pity, and had picked it up again on emerging.
She entered, pushed the door to behind her, paused to take
breath, for she was completely breathless, then exclaimed
with an expression of triumph and joy:—
‘He is coming!’
The father turned his eyes towards her, the woman
turned her head, the little sister did not stir.
‘Who?’ demanded her father.
‘The gentleman!’

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