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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
； Marius Pontmercy； a lawyer； had heard the whole plot through the partition； that the wretch who had planned the trap was a certain Jondrette； that there would be acplices； probably some prowlers of the barriers； among others a certain Panchaud； alias Printanier； alias Bigrenaille； that Jondrette's daughters were to lie in wait； that there was no way of warning the threatened man； since he did not even know his name； and that； finally； all this was to be carried out at six o'clock that evening； at the most deserted point of the Boulevard de l'Hopital； in house No。 50…52。
At the sound of this number； the inspector raised his head； and said coldly：
〃So it is in the room at the end of the corridor？〃
〃Precisely；〃 answered Marius； and he added：
〃Are you acquainted with that house？〃
The inspector remained silent for a moment； then replied； as he warmed the heel of his boot at the door of the stove：
〃Apparently。〃
He went on； muttering between his teeth； and not addressing Marius so much as his cravat：
〃Patron…Minette must have had a hand in this。〃
This word struck Marius。
〃Patron…Minette；〃 said he； 〃I did hear that word pronounced； in fact。〃
And he repeated to the inspector the dialogue between the long…haired man and the bearded man in the snow behind the wall of the Rue du Petit…Banquier。
The inspector muttered：
〃The long…haired man must be Brujon； and the bearded one Demi…Liard； alias Deux…Milliards。〃
He had dropped his eyelids again； and became absorbed in thought。
〃As for Father What's…his…name； I think I recognize him。 Here； I've burned my coat。
They always have too much fire in these cursed stoves。
Number 50…52。 Former property of Gorbeau。〃
Then he glanced at Marius。
〃You saw only that bearded and that long…haired man？〃
〃And Panchaud。〃
〃You didn't see a little imp of a dandy prowling about the premises？〃
〃No。〃
〃Nor a big lump of matter； resembling an elephant in the Jardin des Plantes？〃
〃No。〃
〃Nor a scamp with the air of an old red tail？〃
〃No。〃
〃As for the fourth； no one sees him； not even his adjutants； clerks； and employees。
It is not surprising that you did not see him。〃
〃No。 Who are all those persons？〃 asked Marius。
The inspector answered：
〃Besides； this is not the time for them。〃
He relapsed into silence； then resumed：
〃50…52。 I know that barrack。
Impossible to conceal ourselves inside it without the artists seeing us； and then they will get off simply by countermanding the vaudeville。
They are so modest！ An audience embarrasses them。
None of that； none of that。
I want to hear them sing and make them dance。〃
This monologue concluded； he turned to Marius； and demanded； gazing at him intently the while：
〃Are you afraid？〃
〃Of what？〃 said Marius。
〃Of these men？〃
〃No more than yourself！〃 retorted Marius rudely； who had begun to notice that this police agent had not yet said 〃monsieur〃 to him。
The inspector stared still more intently at Marius； and continued with sententious solemnity：
〃There； you speak like a brave man； and like an honest man。 Courage does not fear crime； and honesty does not fear authority。〃
Marius interrupted him：
〃That is well； but what do you intend to do？〃
The inspector contented himself with the remark：
〃The lodgers have pass…keys with which to get in at night。 You must have one。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Marius。
〃Have you it about you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Give it to me；〃 said the inspector。
Marius took his key from his waistcoat pocket； handed it to the inspector and added：
〃If you will take my advice； you will e in force。〃
The inspector cast on Marius such a glance as Voltaire might have bestowed on a provincial academician who had suggested a rhyme to him； with one movement he plunged his hands； which were enormous； into the two immense pockets of his top…coat； and pulled out two small steel pistols； of the sort called 〃knock…me…downs。〃 Then he presented them to Marius； saying rapidly； in a curt tone：
〃Take these。
Go home。
Hide in your chamber； so that you may be supposed to have gone out。
They are loaded。
Each one carries two balls。
You will keep watch； there is a hole in the wall； as you have informed me。
These men will e。
Leave them to their own devices for a time。
When you think matters have reached a crisis； and that it is time to put a stop to them； fire a shot。 Not too soon。
The rest concerns me。
A shot into the ceiling； the air； no matter where。
Above all things； not too soon。
Wait until they begin to put their project into execution； you are a lawyer； you know the proper point。〃
Marius took the pistols and put them in the side pocket of his coat。
〃That makes a lump that can be seen；〃 said the inspector。 〃Put them in your trousers pocket。〃
Marius hid the pistols in his trousers pockets。
〃Now；〃 pursued the inspector； 〃there is not a minute more to be lost by any one。
What time is it？
Half…past two。
Seven o'clock is the hour？〃
〃Six o'clock；〃 answered Marius。
〃I have plenty of time；〃 said the inspector； 〃but no more than enough。 Don't forget anything that I have said to you。
Bang。
A pistol shot。〃
〃Rest easy；〃 said Marius。
And as Marius laid his hand on the handle of the door on his way out； the inspector called to him：
〃By the way； if you have occasion for my services between now and then； e or send here。
You will ask for Inspector Javert。〃
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER XV
JONDRETTE MAKES HIS PURCHASES
A few moments later； about three o'clock； Courfeyrac chanced to be passing along the Rue Mouffetard in pany with Bossuet。 The snow had redoubled in violence； and filled the air。
Bossuet was just saying to Courfeyrac：
〃One would say； to see all these snow…flakes fall； that there was a plague of white butterflies in heaven。〃
All at once； Bossuet caught sight of Marius ing up the street towards the barrier with a peculiar air。
〃Hold！〃 said Bossuet。
〃There's Marius。〃
〃I saw him；〃 said Courfeyrac。
〃Don't let's speak to him。〃
〃Why？〃
〃He is busy。〃
〃With what？〃
〃Don't you see his air？〃
〃What air？〃
〃He has the air of a man who is following some one。〃
〃That's true；〃 said Bossuet。
〃Just see the eyes he is making！〃 said Courfeyrac。
〃But who the deuce is he following？〃
〃Some fine； flowery bonneted wench！
He's in love。〃
〃But；〃 observed Bossuet； 〃I don't see any wench nor any flowery bonnet in the street。
There's not a woman round。〃
Courfeyrac took a survey； and exclaimed：
〃He's following a man！〃
A man； in fact； wearing a gray cap； and whose gray beard could be distinguished； although they only saw his back； was walking along about twenty paces in advance of Marius。
This man was dressed in a great…coat which was perfectly new and too large for him； and in a frightful pair of trousers all hanging in rags and black with mud。
Bossuet burst out laughing。
〃Who is that man？〃
〃He？〃 retorted Courfeyrac； 〃he's a poet。
Poets are very fond of wearing the trousers of dealers in rabbit skins and the overcoats of peers of France。〃
〃Let's see where Marius will go；〃 said Bossuet； 〃let's see where the man is going； let's follow them； hey？〃
〃Bossuet！〃 exclaimed Courfeyrac； 〃eagle of Meaux！
You are a prodigious brute。
Follow a man who is following another man； indeed！〃
They retraced their steps。
Marius had； in fact； seen Jondrette passing along the Rue Mouffetard； and was spying on his proceedings。
Jondrette walked straight ahead； without a suspicion that he was already held by a glance。
He quitted the Rue Mouffetard； and Marius saw him enter one of the most terrible hovels in the Rue Gracieuse； he remained there about a quarter of an hour； then returned to the Rue Mouffetard。 He halted at an ironmonger's shop； which then stood at the corner of the Rue Pierre…Lombard； and a few minutes later Marius saw him emerge from the shop； holding in his hand a huge cold chisel with a white wood handle； which he concealed beneath his great…coat。 At the top of the Rue Petit…Gentilly he turned to the left and proceeded rapidly to the Rue du Petit…Banquier。 The day was declining； the snow； which had ceased for a moment； had just begun again。 Marius posted himself on the watch at the very corner of the Rue du Petit…Banquier； which was deserted； as usual； and did not follow Jondrette into it。
It was lucky that he did so； for； on arriving in the vicinity of the wall where Marius had heard the long…haired man and the bearded man conversing； Jondrette turned round； made sure that no one was following him； did not see him； then sprang across the wall and disappeared。
The waste land bordered by this wall municated with the back yard of an ex…livery stable…keeper of bad repute； who had failed and who still kept a few old single…seated berlins under his sheds。
Marius thought that it would be wise to profit by Jondrette's absence to return home； moreover； it was growing late； every evening； Ma'am Bougon when she set out for her dish…washing in town； had a habit of locking the door； which was always closed at dusk。 Marius had given his key to the inspector of police； it was important； therefore； that he should make haste。
Evening had arrived； night had almost closed in； on the horizon and in the immensity of space； there remained but one spot illuminated by the sun； and that was the moon。
It was rising in a ruddy glow behind the low dome of Salpetriere。
Marius returned to No。 50…52 with great strides。
The door was still open when he arrived。
He mounted the stairs on tip…toe and glided along the wall of the corridor to his chamber。
This corridor； as the reader will remember； was bordered on both sides by attics； all of which were； for the moment； empty and to let。
Ma'am Bougon was in the habit of leaving all the doors open。
As he passed one of these attics； Marius thought he perceived in the uninhabited cell the motionless heads of four men； vaguely lighted up by a remnant of daylight； falling through a dormer window；
Marius made no attempt to see； not wishing to be seen himself。 He succeeded in reaching his chamber without being seen and without making any noise。
It was high time。
A moment later he heard Ma'am Bougon take her departure； locking the door of the house behind her。
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER XVI
IN WHICH WILL BE FOUND THE WORDS TO AN ENGLISH AIR WHICH WAS IN FASHION IN 1832
Marius seated himself on his bed。
It might have been half…past five o'clock。 Only half an hour separated him from what was about to happen。 He heard the beating of his arteries as one hears the ticking of a watch in the dark。
He thought of the double march which was going on at that moment in the dark；crime advancing on one side； justice ing up on the other。
He was not afraid； but he could not think without a shudder of what was about to take place。 As is the case with all those who are suddenly assailed by an unforeseen adventure； the entire day produced upon him the effect of a dream； and in order to persuade himself that he was not the prey of a nightmare； he had to feel the cold barrels of the steel pistols in his trousers pockets。
It was no longer snowing； the moon disengaged itself more and more clearly from the mist； and its light； mingled with the white reflection of the snow which had fallen； municated to the chamber a sort of twilight aspect。
There was a light in the Jondrette den。
Marius saw the hole in the wall shining with a reddish glow which seemed bloody to him。
It was true that the light could not be produced by a candle。 However； there was not a sound in the Jondrette quarters； not a soul was moving there； not a soul speaking； not a breath； the silence was glacial and profound； and had it not been for that light； he might have thought himself next door to a sepulchre。
Marius softly removed his boots and pushed them under his bed。
Several minutes elaps