雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第107部分

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　　Certainly；　if　Jean　Valjean　had　had　a　kingdom；　he　would　have　given　it　for　a　rope　at　that　moment。
　　All　extreme　situations　have　their　lightning　flashes　which　sometimes　dazzle；　sometimes　illuminate　us。
　　Jean　Valjean's　despairing　glance　fell　on　the　street　lantern…post　of　the　blind　alley　Genrot。
　　At　that　epoch　there　were　no　gas…jets　in　the　streets　of　Paris。　At　nightfall　lanterns　placed　at　regular　distances　were　lighted；　they　were　ascended　and　descended　by　means　of　a　rope；　which　traversed　the　street　from　side　to　side；　and　was　adjusted　in　a　groove　of　the　post。　The　pulley　over　which　this　rope　ran　was　fastened　underneath　the　lantern　in　a　little　iron　box；　the　key　to　which　was　kept　by　the　lamp…lighter；　and　the　rope　itself　was　protected　by　a　metal　case。
　　Jean　Valjean；　with　the　energy　of　a　supreme　struggle；　crossed　the　street　at　one　bound；　entered　the　blind　alley；　broke　the　latch　of　the　little　box　with　the　point　of　his　knife；　and　an　instant　later　he　was　beside　Cosette　once　more。
　　He　had　a　rope。
　　These　gloomy　inventors　of　expedients　work　rapidly　when　they　are　fighting　against　fatality。
　　We　have　already　explained　that　the　lanterns　had　not　been　lighted　that　night。
　　The　lantern　in　the　Cul…de…Sac　Genrot　was　thus　naturally　extinct；　like　the　rest；　and　one　could　pass　directly　under　it　without　even　noticing　that　it　was　no　longer　in　its　place。
　　Nevertheless；　the　hour；　the　place；　the　darkness；　Jean　Valjean's　absorption；　his　singular　gestures；　his　goings　and　ings；　all　had　begun　to　render　Cosette　uneasy。
　　Any　other　child　than　she　would　have　given　vent　to　loud　shrieks　long　before。
　　She　contented　herself　with　plucking　Jean　Valjean　by　the　skirt　of　his　coat。
　　They　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　patrol's　approach　ever　more　and　more　distinctly。
　　〃Father；〃　said　she；　in　a　very　low　voice；　〃I　am　afraid。
　　Who　is　ing　yonder？〃
　　〃Hush！〃　replied　the　unhappy　man；　〃it　is　Madame　Thenardier。〃
　　Cosette　shuddered。
　　He　added：
　　〃Say　nothing。
　　Don't　interfere　with　me。
　　If　you　cry　out；　if　you　weep；　the　Thenardier　is　lying　in　wait　for　you。
　　She　is　ing　to　take　you　back。〃
　　Then；　without　haste；　but　without　making　a　useless　movement；　with　firm　and　curt　precision；　the　more　remarkable　at　a　moment　when　the　patrol　and　Javert　might　e　upon　him　at　any　moment；　he　undid　his　cravat；　passed　it　round　Cosette's　body　under　the　armpits；　taking　care　that　it　should　not　hurt　the　child；　fastened　this　cravat　to　one　end　of　the　rope；　by　means　of　that　knot　which　seafaring　men　call　a　〃swallow　knot；〃　took　the　other　end　of　the　rope　in　his　teeth；　pulled　off　his　shoes　and　stockings；　which　he　threw　over　the　wall；　stepped　upon　the　mass　of　masonry；　and　began　to　raise　himself　in　the　angle　of　the　wall　and　the　gable　with　as　much　solidity　and　certainty　as　though　he　had　the　rounds　of　a　ladder　under　his　feet　and　elbows。　Half　a　minute　had　not　elapsed　when　he　was　resting　on　his　knees　on　the　wall。
　　Cosette　gazed　at　him　in　stupid　amazement；　without　uttering　a　word。　Jean　Valjean's　injunction；　and　the　name　of　Madame　Thenardier；　had　chilled　her　blood。
　　All　at　once　she　heard　Jean　Valjean's　voice　crying　to　her；　though　in　a　very　low　tone：
　　〃Put　your　back　against　the　wall。〃
　　She　obeyed。
　　〃Don't　say　a　word；　and　don't　be　alarmed；〃　went　on　Jean　Valjean。
　　And　she　felt　herself　lifted　from　the　ground。
　　Before　she　had　time　to　recover　herself；　she　was　on　the　top　of　the　wall。
　　Jean　Valjean　grasped　her；　put　her　on　his　back；　took　her　two　tiny　hands　in　his　large　left　hand；　lay　down　flat　on　his　stomach　and　crawled　along　on　top　of　the　wall　as　far　as　the　cant。
　　As　he　had　guessed；　there　stood　a　building　whose　roof　started　from　the　top　of　the　wooden　barricade　and　descended　to　within　a　very　short　distance　of　the　ground；　with　a　gentle　slope　which　grazed　the　linden…tree。　A　lucky　circumstance；　
for　the　wall　was　much　higher　on　this　side　than　on　the　street　side。　Jean　Valjean　could　only　see　the　ground　at　a　great　depth　below　him。
　　He　had　just　reached　the　slope　of　the　roof；　and　had　not　yet　left　the　crest　of　the　wall；　when　a　violent　uproar　announced　the　arrival　of　the　patrol。
　　The　thundering　voice　of　Javert　was　audible：
　　〃Search　the　blind　alley！
　　The　Rue　Droit…Mur　is　guarded！　so　is　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus。　I'll　answer　for　it　that　he　is　in　the　blind　alley。〃
　　The　soldiers　rushed　into　the　Genrot　alley。
　　Jean　Valjean　allowed　himself　to　slide　down　the　roof；　still　holding　fast　to　Cosette；　reached　the　linden…tree；　and　leaped　to　the　ground。　Whether　from　terror　or　courage；　Cosette　had　not　breathed　a　sound；　though　her　hands　were　a　little　abraded。


BOOK　FIFTH。FOR　A　BLACK　HUNT；　A　MUTE　PACK　
CHAPTER　VI　
　　THE　BEGINNING　OF　AN　ENIGMA
　　　Jean　Valjean　found　himself　in　a　sort　of　garden　which　was　very　vast　and　of　singular　aspect；　one　of　those　melancholy　gardens　which　seem　made　to　be　looked　at　in　winter　and　at　night。
　　This　garden　was　oblong　in　shape；　with　an　alley　of　large　poplars　at　the　further　end；　tolerably　tall　forest　trees　in　the　corners；　and　an　unshaded　space　in　the　centre；　where　could　be　seen　a　very　large；　solitary　tree；　then　several　fruit…trees；　gnarled　and　bristling　like　bushes；　beds　of　vegetables；　a　melon　patch；　whose　glass　frames　sparkled　in　the　moonlight；　and　an　old　well。　Here　and　there　stood　stone　benches　which　seemed　black　with　moss。　The　alleys　were　bordered　with　gloomy　and　very　erect　little　shrubs。　The　grass　had　half　taken　possession　of　them；　and　a　green　mould　covered　the　rest。
　　Jean　Valjean　had　beside　him　the　building　whose　roof　had　served　him　as　a　means　of　descent；　a　pile　of　fagots；　and；　behind　the　fagots；　directly　against　the　wall；　a　stone　statue；　whose　mutilated　face　was　no　longer　anything　more　than　a　shapeless　mask　which　loomed　vaguely　through　the　gloom。
　　The　building　was　a　sort　of　ruin；　where　dismantled　chambers　were　distinguishable；　one　of　which；　much　encumbered；　seemed　to　serve　as　a　shed。
　　The　large　building　of　the　Rue　Droit…Mur；　which　had　a　wing　on　the　Rue　Petit…Picpus；　turned　two　facades；　at　right　angles；　towards　this　garden。　These　interior　facades　were　even　more　tragic　than　the　exterior。　All　the　windows　were　grated。
　　Not　a　gleam　of　light　was　visible　at　any　one　of　them。
　　The　upper　story　had　scuttles　like　prisons。　One　of　those　facades　cast　its　shadow　on　the　other；　which　fell　over　the　garden　like　an　immense　black　pall。
　　No　other　house　was　visible。
　　The　bottom　of　the　garden　was　lost　in　mist　and　darkness。
　　Nevertheless；　walls　could　be　confusedly　made　out；　which　intersected　as　though　there　were　more　cultivated　land　beyond；　and　the　low　roofs　of　the　Rue　Polonceau。
　　Nothing　more　wild　and　solitary　than　this　garden　could　be　imagined。　There　was　no　one　in　it；　which　was　quite　natural　in　view　of　the　hour；　but　it　did　not　seem　as　though　this　spot　were　made　for　any　one　to　walk　in；　even　in　broad　daylight。
　　Jean　Valjean's　first　care　had　been　to　get　hold　of　his　shoes　and　put　them　on　again；　then　to　step　under　the　shed　with　Cosette。　A　man　who　is　fleeing　never　thinks　himself　sufficiently　hidden。　The　child；　whose　thoughts　were　still　on　the　Thenardier；　shared　his　instinct　for　withdrawing　from　sight　as　much　as　possible。
　　Cosette　trembled　and　pressed　close　to　him。
　　They　heard　the　tumultuous　noise　of　the　patrol　searching　the　blind　alley　and　the　streets；　the　blows　of　their　gun…stocks　against　the　stones；　Javert's　appeals　to　the　police　spies　whom　he　had　posted；　and　his　imprecations　mingled　with　words　which　could　not　be　distinguished。
　　At　the　expiration　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour　it　seemed　as　though　that　species　of　stormy　roar　were　being　more　distant。
　　Jean　Valjean　held　his　breath。
　　He　had　laid　his　hand　lightly　on　Cosette's　mouth。
　　However；　the　solitude　in　which　he　stood　was　so　strangely　calm；　that　this　frightful　uproar；　close　and　furious　as　it　was；　did　not　disturb　him　by　so　much　as　the　shadow　of　a　misgiving。　It　seemed　as　though　those　walls　had　been　built　of　the　deaf　stones　of　which　the　Scriptures　speak。
　　All　at　once；　in　the　midst　of　this　profound　calm；　a　fresh　sound　arose；　a　sound　as　celestial；　divine；　ineffable；　ravishing；　as　the　other　had　been　horrible。
　　It　was　a　hymn　which　issued　from　the　gloom；　a　dazzling　burst　of　prayer　and　harmony　in　the　obscure　and　alarming　silence　of　the　night；　women's　voices；　but　voices　posed　at　one　and　the　same　time　of　the　pure　accents　of　virgins　and　the　innocent　accents　of　children；　voices　which　are　not　of　the　earth；　and　which　resemble　those　that　the　newborn　infant　still　hears；　and　which　the　dying　man　hears　already。　This　song　proceeded　from　the　gloomy　edifice　which　towered　above　the　garden。
　　At　the　moment　when　the　hubbub　of　demons　retreated；　one　would　have　said　that　a　choir　of　angels　was　approaching　through　the　gloom。
　　Cosette　and　Jean　Valjean　fell　on　their　knees。
　　They　knew　not　what　it　was；　they　knew　not　where　they　were；　but　both　of　them；　the　man　and　the　child；　the　penitent　and　the　innocent；　felt　that　they　must　kneel。
　　These　voices　had　this　strange　characteristic；　that　they　did　not　prevent　the　building　from　seeming　to　be　deserted。　It　was　a　supernatural　chant　in　an　uninhabited　house。
　　While　these　voices　were　singing；　Jean　Valjean　thought　of　nothing。　He　no　longer　beheld　the　night；　he　beheld　a　blue　sky。
　　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　felt　those　wings　which　we　all　have　within　us；　unfolding。
　　The　song　died　away。
　　It　may　have　lasted　a　long　time。
　　Jean　Valjean　could　not　have　told。
　　Hours　of　ecstasy　are　never　more　than　a　moment。
　　All　fell　silent　again。
　　There　was　no　longer　anything　in　the　street；　there　was　nothing　in　the　garden。
　　That　which　had　menaced；　that　which　had　reassured　him；all　had　vanished。
　　The　breeze　swayed　a　few　dry　weeds　on　the　crest　of　the　wall；　and　they　gave　out　a　faint；　sweet；　melancholy　sound。


BOOK　FIFTH。FOR　A　BLACK　HUNT；　A　MUTE　PACK　
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　Cosette　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。