雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第100部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ontfermeil。
　　He　expected　to　find　a　great　deal　of　light　on　the　subject　there；　he　found　a　great　deal　of　obscurity。
　　For　the　first　few　days　the　Thenardiers　had　chattered　in　their　rage。　The　disappearance　of　the　Lark　had　created　a　sensation　in　the　village。　He　immediately　obtained　numerous　versions　of　the　story；　which　ended　in　the　abduction　of　a　child。
　　Hence　the　police　report。
　　But　their　first　vexation　having　passed　off；　Thenardier；　with　his　wonderful　instinct；　had　very　quickly　prehended　that　it　is　never　advisable　to　stir　up　the　prosecutor　of　the　Crown；　and　that　his　plaints　with　regard　to　the　abduction　of　Cosette　would　have　as　their　first　result　to　fix　upon　himself；　and　upon　many　dark　affairs　which　he　had　on　hand；　the　glittering　eye　of　justice。
　　The　last　thing　that　owls　desire　is　to　have　a　candle　brought　to　them。
　　And　in　the　first　place；　how　explain　the　fifteen　hundred　francs　which　he　had　received？　He　turned　squarely　round；　put　a　gag　on　his　wife's　mouth；　and　feigned　astonishment　when　the　stolen　child　was　mentioned　to　him。　He　understood　nothing　about　it；　no　doubt　he　had　grumbled　for　awhile　at　having　that　dear　little　creature　〃taken　from　him〃　so　hastily；　he　should　have　liked　to　keep　her　two　or　three　days　longer；　out　of　tenderness；　but　her　〃grandfather〃　had　e　for　her　in　the　most　natural　way　in　the　world。
　　He　added　the　〃grandfather；〃　which　produced　a　good　effect。
　　This　was　the　story　that　Javert　hit　upon　when　he　arrived　at　Montfermeil。
　　The　grandfather　caused　Jean　Valjean　to　vanish。
　　Nevertheless；　Javert　dropped　a　few　questions；　like　plummets；　into　Thenardier's　history。
　　〃Who　was　that　grandfather？　and　what　was　his　name？〃
　　Thenardier　replied　with　simplicity：
　　〃He　is　a　wealthy　farmer。　I　saw　his　passport。
　　I　think　his　name　was　M。　Guillaume　Lambert。〃
　　Lambert　is　a　respectable　and　extremely　reassuring　name。　Thereupon　Javert　returned　to　Paris。
　　〃Jean　Valjean　is　certainly　dead；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　am　a　ninny。〃
　　He　had　again　begun　to　forget　this　history；　when；　in　the　course　of　March；　1824；　he　heard　of　a　singular　personage　who　dwelt　in　the　parish　of　Saint…Medard　and　who　had　been　surnamed　〃the　mendicant　who　gives　alms。〃
　　This　person；　the　story　ran；　was　a　man　of　means；　whose　name　no　one　knew　exactly；　and　who　lived　alone　with　a　little　girl　of　eight　years；　who　knew　nothing　about　herself；　save　that　she　had　e　from　Montfermeil。
　　Montfermeil！　that　name　was　always　ing　up；　and　it　made　Javert　prick　up　his　ears。
　　An　old　beggar　police　spy；　an　ex…beadle；　to　whom　this　person　had　given　alms；　added　a　few　more　details。
　　This　gentleman　of　property　was　very　shy；　never　ing　out　except　in　the　evening；　speaking　to　no　one；　except；　occasionally　to　the　poor；　and　never　allowing　any　one　to　approach　him。　He　wore　a　horrible　old　yellow　frock…coat；　which　was　worth　many　millions；　being　all　wadded　with　bank…bills。　This　piqued　Javert's　curiosity　in　a　decided　manner。
　　In　order　to　get　a　close　look　at　this　fantastic　gentleman　without　alarming　him；　he　borrowed　the　beadle's　outfit　for　a　day；　and　the　place　where　the　old　spy　was　in　the　habit　of　crouching　every　evening；　whining　orisons　through　his　nose；　and　playing　the　spy　under　cover　of　prayer。
　　〃The　suspected　individual〃　did　indeed　approach　Javert　thus　disguised；　and　bestow　alms　on　him。
　　At　that　moment　Javert　raised　his　head；　and　the　shock　which　Jean　Valjean　received　on　recognizing　Javert　was　equal　to　the　one　received　by　Javert　when　he　thought　he　recognized　Jean　Valjean。
　　However；　the　darkness　might　have　misled　him；　Jean　Valjean's　death　was　official；　Javert　cherished　very　grave　doubts；　and　when　in　doubt；　Javert；　the　man　of　scruples；　never　laid　a　finger　on　any　one's　collar。
　　He　followed　his　man　to　the　Gorbeau　house；　and　got　〃the　old　woman〃　to　talking；　which　was　no　difficult　matter。
　　The　old　woman　confirmed　the　fact　regarding　the　coat　lined　with　millions；　and　narrated　to　him　the　episode　of　the　thousand…franc　bill。
　　She　had　seen　it！　She　had　handled　it！
　　Javert　hired　a　room；　that　evening　he　installed　himself　in　it。
　　He　came　and　listened　at　the　mysterious　lodger's　door；　hoping　to　catch　the　sound　of　his　voice；　but　Jean　Valjean　saw　his　candle　through　the　key…hole；　and　foiled　the　spy　by　keeping　silent。
　　On　the　following　day　Jean　Valjean　decamped；　but　the　noise　made　by　the　fall　of　the　five…franc　piece　was　noticed　by　the　old　woman；　who；　hearing　the　rattling　of　coin；　suspected　that　he　might　be　intending　to　leave；　and　made　haste　to　warn　Javert。
　　At　night；　when　Jean　Valjean　came　out；　Javert　was　waiting　for　him　behind　the　trees　of　the　boulevard　with　two　men。
　　Javert　had　demanded　assistance　at　the　Prefecture；　but　he　had　not　mentioned　the　name　of　the　individual　whom　he　hoped　to　seize；　that　was　his　secret；　and　he　had　kept　it　for　three　reasons：　in　the　first　place；　because　the　slightest　indiscretion　might　put　Jean　Valjean　on　the　alert；　next；　because；　to　lay　hands　on　an　ex…convict　who　had　made　his　escape　and　was　reputed　dead；　on　a　criminal　whom　justice　had　formerly　classed　forever　as　among　malefactors　of　the　most　dangerous　sort；　was　a　magnificent　success　which　the　old　members　of　the　Parisian　police　would　assuredly　not　leave　to　a　new…er　like　Javert；　and　he　was　afraid　of　being　deprived　of　his　convict；　and　lastly；　because　Javert；　being　an　artist；　had　a　taste　for　the　unforeseen。
　　He　hated　those　well…heralded　successes　which　are　talked　of　long　in　advance　and　have　had　the　bloom　brushed　off。　He　preferred　to　elaborate　his　masterpieces　in　the　dark　and　to　unveil　them　suddenly　at　the　last。
　　Javert　had　followed　Jean　Valjean　from　tree　to　tree；　then　from　corner　to　corner　of　the　street；　and　had　not　lost　sight　of　him　for　a　single　instant；　even　at　the　moments　when　Jean　Valjean　believed　himself　to　be　the　most　secure　Javert's　eye　had　been　on　him。　Why　had　not　Javert　arrested　Jean　Valjean？
　　Because　he　was　still　in　doubt。
　　It　must　be　remembered　that　at　that　epoch　the　police　was　not　precisely　at　its　ease；　the　free　press　embarrassed　it；　several　arbitrary　arrests　denounced　by　the　newspapers；　had　echoed　even　as　far　as　the　Chambers；　and　had　rendered　the　Prefecture　timid。
　　Interference　with　individual　liberty　was　a　grave　matter。
　　The　police　agents　were　afraid　of　making　a　mistake；　the　prefect　laid　the　blame　on　them；　a　mistake　meant　dismissal。　The　reader　can　imagine　the　effect　which　this　brief　paragraph；　reproduced　by　twenty　newspapers；　would　have　caused　in　Paris：　〃Yesterday；　an　aged　grandfather；　with　white　hair；　a　respectable　and　well…to…do　gentleman；　who　was　walking　with　his　grandchild；　aged　eight；　was　arrested　and　conducted　to　the　agency　of　the　Prefecture　as　an　escaped　convict！〃
　　Let　us　repeat　in　addition　that　Javert　had　scruples　of　his　own；　injunctions　of　his　conscience　were　added　to　the　injunctions　of　the　prefect。
　　He　was　really　in　doubt。
　　Jean　Valjean　turned　his　back　on　him　and　walked　in　the　dark。
　　Sadness；　uneasiness；　anxiety；　depression；　this　fresh　misfortune　of　being　forced　to　flee　by　night；　to　seek　a　chance　refuge　in　Paris　for　Cosette　and　himself；　the　necessity　of　regulating　his　pace　to　the　pace　of　the　childall　this；　without　his　being　aware　of　it；　had　altered　Jean　Valjean's　walk；　and　impressed　on　his　bearing　such　senility；　that　the　police　themselves；　incarnate　in　the　person　of　Javert；　might；　and　did　in　fact；　make　a　mistake。
　　The　impossibility　of　approaching　too　close；　his　costume　of　an　emigre　preceptor；　the　declaration　of　Thenardier　which　made　a　grandfather　of　him；　and；　finally；　the　belief　in　his　death　in　prison；　added　still　further　to　the　uncertainty　which　gathered　thick　in　Javert's　mind。
　　For　an　instant　it　occurred　to　him　to　make　an　abrupt　demand　for　his　papers；　but　if　the　man　was　not　Jean　Valjean；　and　if　this　man　was　not　a　good；　honest　old　fellow　living　on　his　ine；　he　was　probably　some　merry　blade　deeply　and　cunningly　implicated　in　the　obscure　web　of　Parisian　misdeeds；　some　chief　of　a　dangerous　band；　who　gave　alms　to　conceal　his　other　talents；　which　was　an　old　dodge。　He　had　trusty　fellows；　acplices'　retreats　in　case　of　emergencies；　in　which　he　would；　no　doubt；　take　refuge。
　　All　these　turns　which　he　was　making　through　the　streets　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　was　not　a　simple　and　honest　man。
　　To　arrest　him　too　hastily　would　be　〃to　kill　the　hen　that　laid　the　golden　eggs。〃
　　Where　was　the　inconvenience　in　waiting？
　　Javert　was　very　sure　that　he　would　not　escape。
　　Thus　he　proceeded　in　a　tolerably　perplexed　state　of　mind；　putting　to　himself　a　hundred　questions　about　this　enigmatical　personage。
　　It　was　only　quite　late　in　the　Rue　de　Pontoise；　that；　thanks　to　the　brilliant　light　thrown　from　a　dram…shop；　he　decidedly　recognized　Jean　Valjean。
　　There　are　in　this　world　two　beings　who　give　a　profound　start；　the　mother　who　recovers　her　child　and　the　tiger　who　recovers　his　prey。　Javert　gave　that　profound　start。
　　As　soon　as　he　had　positively　recognized　Jean　Valjean；　the　formidable　convict；　he　perceived　that　there　were　only　three　of　them；　and　he　asked　for　reinforcements　at　the　police　station　of　the　Rue　de　Pontoise。　One　puts　on　gloves　before　grasping　a　thorn　cudgel。
　　This　delay　and　the　halt　at　the　Carrefour　Rollin　to　consult　with　his　agents　came　near　causing　him　to　lose　the　trail。　He　speedily　divined；　however；　that　Jean　Valjean　would　want　to　put　the　river　between　his　pursuers　and　himself。
　　He　bent　his　head　and　reflected　like　a　blood…hound　who　puts　his　nose　to　the　ground　to　make　sure　that　he　is　on　the　right　scent。
　　Javert；　with　his　powerful　rectitude　of　instinct；　went　straight　to　the　bridge　of　Austerlitz。　A　word　with　the　toll…keeper　furnished　him　with　the　information　which　he　required：
　　〃Have　you　seen　a　man　with　a　little　girl？〃　〃I　made　him　pay　two　sous；〃　replied　the　toll…keeper。　Javert　reached　the　bridge　in　season　to　see　Jean　Valjean　traverse　the　small　illuminated　spot　on　the　other　side　of　the　water；　leading　Cosette　by　the　hand。　He　saw　him　enter　the　Rue　du　Chemin…Vert…Saint…Antoine；　he　remembered　the　Cul…de…Sac　Genrot　arranged　there　like　a　trap；　and　of　the　sole　exit　of　the　Rue　Droit…Mur　into　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus。　He　made　sure　of　his　back　burrows；　as　huntsmen　say；　he　hastily　despatched　one　of　his　agents；　by　a　roundabout　way；　to　guard　that　issue。　A　patrol　which　was　returning　to　the　Arsenal　post　having　passed　him；　he　made　a　requisition　on　it；　and　caused　it　to　acpany　him。　In　such　games　soldiers　are　aces。
　　Moreover；　the　principle　is；　that　in　order　to　get　the　best　of　a　wild　boar；　one　must　employ　the　science　of　venery　and　plenty　of　dogs。
　　These　binations　having　been　effected；　feeling　that　Jean　Valjean　was　caught　between　the　blind　alley　Genrot　on　the　right；　his　agent　on　the　left；　and　himself；　Javert；　in　the　rear；　he　took　a　pinch　of　snuff。
　　Then　he　began　the　game。
　　He　experienced　one　ecstatic　and　infernal　moment；　he　allowed　his　man　to　go　on　ahead；　knowing　that　he　had　him　safe；　but　desirous　of　postponing　the　moment　of　arrest　as　long　as　possible；　happy　at　the　thought　that　he　was　taken　and　yet　at　seeing　him　free；　gloating　over　him　with　his　gaze；　with　that　voluptuousness　of　the　spider　which　allows　the　fly　to　flutter；　and　of　the　cat　which　lets　the　mouse　run。
　　Claws　and　talons　possess　a　monstrous　sensuality；　the　obscure　movements　of　the　creature　imprisoned　in　their　pincers。　What　a　delight　t