Page 789 - les-miserables

CHAPTER VIII

THE ENIGMA BECOMES

DOUBLY MYSTERIOUS

The child had laid her head on a stone and fallen asleep.
He sat down beside her and began to think. Little by lit-
tle, as he gazed at her, he grew calm and regained possession
of his freedom of mind.
He clearly perceived this truth, the foundation of his life
henceforth, that so long as she was there, so long as he had
her near him, he should need nothing except for her, he
should fear nothing except for her. He was not even con-
scious that he was very cold, since he had taken off his coat
to cover her.
Nevertheless, athwart this revery into which he had
fallen he had heard for some time a peculiar noise. It was
like the tinkling of a bell. This sound proceeded from the
garden. It could be heard distinctly though faintly. It resem-
bled the faint, vague music produced by the bells of cattle at
night in the pastures.
This noise made Valjean turn round.
He looked and saw that there was some one in the gar-

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