Page 1366 - les-miserables

ate circumstances. Extreme as was the crisis, inevitable as
was the catastrophe, there was nothing here of the agony of
the drowning man, who opens his horror-filled eyes under
the water.
Thenardier rose in an unpretending manner, went to the
fireplace, shoved aside the screen, which he leaned against
the neighboring pallet, and thus unmasked the brazier full
of glowing coals, in which the prisoner could plainly see
the chisel white-hot and spotted here and there with tiny
scarlet stars.
Then Thenardier returned to his seat beside M. Leblanc.
‘I continue,’ said he. ‘We can come to an understand-
ing. Let us arrange this matter in an amicable way. I was
wrong to lose my temper just now, I don’t know what I was
thinking of, I went a great deal too far, I said extravagant
things. For example, because you are a millionnaire, I told
you that I exacted money, a lot of money, a deal of money.
That would not be reasonable. Mon Dieu, in spite of your
riches, you have expenses of your own— who has not? I
don’t want to ruin you, I am not a greedy fellow, after all.
I am not one of those people who, because they have the
advantage of the position, profit by the fact to make them-
selves ridiculous. Why, I’m taking things into consideration
and making a sacrifice on my side. I only want two hundred
thousand francs.’
M. Leblanc uttered not a word.
Thenardier went on:—
‘You see that I put not a little water in my wine; I’m very
moderate. I don’t know the state of your fortune, but I do

1366 Les Miserables