Page 785 - les-miserables

CHAPTER VII

CONTINUATION OF

THE ENIGMA

The night wind had risen, which indicated that it must
be between one and two o’clock in the morning. Poor Co-
sette said nothing. As she had seated herself beside him and
leaned her head against him, Jean Valjean had fancied that
she was asleep. He bent down and looked at her. Cosette’s
eyes were wide open, and her thoughtful air pained Jean
Valjean.
She was still trembling.
‘Are you sleepy?’ said Jean Valjean.
‘I am very cold,’ she replied.
A moment later she resumed:—
‘Is she still there?’
‘Who?’ said Jean Valjean.
‘Madame Thenardier.’
Jean Valjean had already forgotten the means which he
had employed to make Cosette keep silent.
‘Ah!’ said he, ‘she is gone. You need fear nothing fur-
ther.’

785