雨果 悲惨世界 英文版2-第68部分

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　　What　was　he　to　do？
　　What　should　he　choose？
　　Be　false　to　the　most　imperious　souvenirs；　to　all　those　solemn　vows　to　himself；　to　the　most　sacred　duty；　to　the　most　venerated　text！
　　Should　he　ignore　his　father's　testament；　or　allow　the　perpetration　of　a　crime！　On　the　one　hand；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　heard　〃his　Ursule〃　supplicating　for　her　father　and　on　the　other；　the　colonel　mending　Thenardier　to　his　care。
　　He　felt　that　he　was　going　mad。
　　His　knees　gave　way　beneath　him。
　　And　he　had　not　even　the　time　for　deliberation；　so　great　was　the　fury　with　which　the　scene　before　his　eyes　was　hastening　to　its　catastrophe。
　　It　was　like　a　whirlwind　of　which　he　had　thought　himself　the　master；　and　which　was　now　sweeping　him　away。　He　was　on　the　verge　of　swooning。
　　In　the　meantime；　Thenardier；　whom　we　shall　henceforth　call　by　no　other　name；　was　pacing　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　table　in　a　sort　of　frenzy　and　wild　triumph。
　　He　seized　the　candle　in　his　fist；　and　set　it　on　the　chimney…piece　with　so　violent　a　bang　that　the　wick　came　near　being　extinguished；　and　the　tallow　bespattered　the　wall。
　　Then　he　turned　to　M。　Leblanc　with　a　horrible　look；　and　spit　out　these　words：
　　〃Done　for！
　　Smoked　brown！
　　Cooked！
　　Spitchcocked！〃
　　And　again　he　began　to　march　back　and　forth；　in　full　eruption。
　　〃Ah！〃　he　cried；　〃so　I've　found　you　again　at　last；　Mister　philanthropist！　Mister　threadbare　millionnaire！
　　Mister　giver　of　dolls！　you　old　ninny！　Ah！　so　you　don't　recognize　me！
　　No；　it　wasn't　you　who　came　to　Montfermeil；　to　my　inn；　eight　years　ago；　on　Christmas　eve；　1823！　It　wasn't　you　who　carried　off　that　Fantine's　child　from　me！　The　Lark！
　　It　wasn't　you　who　had　a　yellow　great…coat！　No！　Nor　a　package　of　duds　in　your　hand；　as　you　had　this　morning　here！　Say；　wife；　it　seems　to　be　his　mania　to　carry　packets　of　woollen　stockings　into　houses！
　　Old　charity　monger；　get　out　with　you！　Are　you　a　hosier；　Mister　millionnaire？
　　You　give　away　your　stock　in　trade　to　the　poor；　holy　man！
　　What　bosh！　merry　Andrew！　Ah！　and　you　don't　recognize　me？
　　Well；　I　recognize　you；　that　I　do！　I　recognized　you　the　very　moment　you　poked　your　snout　in　here。　Ah！　you'll　find　out　presently；　that　it　isn't　all　roses　to　thrust　yourself　in　that　fashion　into　people's　houses；　under　the　pretext　that　they　are　taverns；　in　wretched　clothes；　with　the　air　of　a　poor　man；　to　whom　one　would　give　a　sou；　to　deceive　persons；　to　play　the　generous；　to　take　away　their　means　of　livelihood；　and　to　make　threats　in　the　woods；　and　you　can't　call　things　quits　because　afterwards；　when　people　are　ruined；　you　bring　a　coat　that　is　too　large；　and　two　miserable　hospital　blankets；　you　old　blackguard；　you　child…stealer！〃
　　He　paused；　and　seemed　to　be　talking　to　himself　for　a　moment。　One　would　have　said　that　his　wrath　had　fallen　into　some　hole；　like　the　Rhone；　then；　as　though　he　were　concluding　aloud　the　things　which　he　had　been　saying　to　himself　in　a　whisper；　he　smote　the　table　with　his　fist；　and　shouted：
　　〃And　with　his　goody…goody　air！〃
　　And；　apostrophizing　M。　Leblanc：
　　〃Parbleu！
　　You　made　game　of　me　in　the　past！
　　You　are　the　cause　of　all　my　misfortunes！
　　For　fifteen　hundred　francs　you　got　a　girl　whom　I　had；　and　who　certainly　belonged　to　rich　people；　and　who　had　already　brought　in　a　great　deal　of　money；　and　from　whom　I　might　have　extracted　enough　to　live　on　all　my　life！
　　A　girl　who　would　have　made　up　to　me　for　everything　that　I　lost　in　that　vile　cook…shop；　where　there　was　nothing　but　one　continual　row；　and　where；　like　a　fool；　I　ate　up　my　last　farthing！
　　Oh！
　　I　wish　all　the　wine　folks　drank　in　my　house　had　been　poison　to　those　who　drank　it！　Well；　never　mind！
　　Say；　now！
　　You　must　have　thought　me　ridiculous　when　you　went　off　with　the　Lark！
　　You　had　your　cudgel　in　the　forest。　You　were　the　stronger。
　　Revenge。
　　I'm　the　one　to　hold　the　trumps　to…day！　You're　in　a　sorry　case；　my　good　fellow！
　　Oh；　but　I　can　laugh！
　　Really；　I　laugh！
　　Didn't　he　fall　into　the　trap！　I　told　him　that　I　was　an　actor；　that　my　name　was　Fabantou；　that　I　had　played　edy　with　Mamselle　Mars；　with　Mamselle　Muche；　that　my　landlord　insisted　on　being　paid　tomorrow；　the　4th　of　February；　and　he　didn't　even　notice　that　the　8th　of　January；　and　not　the　4th　of　February　is　the　time　when　the　quarter　runs　out！
　　Absurd　idiot！　And　the　four　miserable　Philippes　which　he　has　brought　me！
　　Scoundrel！　He　hadn't　the　heart　even　to　go　as　high　as　a　hundred　francs！
　　And　how　he　swallowed　my　platitudes！
　　That　did　amuse　me。
　　I　said　to　myself：　‘Blockhead！　e；　I've　got　you！
　　I　lick　your　paws　this　morning；　but　I'll　gnaw　your　heart　this　evening！'〃
　　Thenardier　paused。
　　He　was　out　of　breath。
　　His　little；　narrow　chest　panted　like　a　forge　bellows。
　　His　eyes　were　full　of　the　ignoble　happiness　of　a　feeble；　cruel；　and　cowardly　creature；　which　finds　that　it　can；　at　last；　harass　what　it　has　feared；　and　insult　what　it　has　flattered；　the　joy　of　a　dwarf　who　should　be　able　to　set　his　heel　on　the　head　of　Goliath；　the　joy　of　a　jackal　which　is　beginning　to　rend　a　sick　bull；　so　nearly　dead　that　he　can　no　longer　defend　himself；　but　sufficiently　alive　to　suffer　still。
　　M。　Leblanc　did　not　interrupt　him；　but　said　to　him　when　he　paused：
　　〃I　do　not　know　what　you　mean　to　say。
　　You　are　mistaken　in　me。
　　I　am　a　very　poor　man；　and　anything　but　a　millionnaire。
　　I　do　not　know　you。　You　are　mistaking　me　for　some　other　person。〃
　　〃Ah！〃　roared　Thenardier　hoarsely；　〃a　pretty　lie！
　　You　stick　to　that　pleasantry；　do　you！
　　You're　floundering；　my　old　buck！　Ah！
　　You　don't　remember！
　　You　don't　see　who　I　am？〃
　　〃Excuse　me；　sir；〃　said　M。　Leblanc　with　a　politeness　of　accent；　which　at　that　moment　seemed　peculiarly　strange　and　powerful；　〃I　see　that　you　are　a　villain！〃
　　Who　has　not　remarked　the　fact　that　odious　creatures　possess　a　susceptibility　of　their　own；　that　monsters　are　ticklish！
　　At　this　word　〃villain；〃　the　female　Thenardier　sprang　from　the　bed；　Thenardier　grasped　his　chair　as　though　he　were　about　to　crush　it　in　his　hands。　〃Don't　you　stir！〃　he　shouted　to　his　wife；　and；　turning　to　M。　Leblanc：
　　〃Villain！
　　Yes；　I　know　that　you　call　us　that；　you　rich　gentlemen！　Stop！　it's　true　that　I　became　bankrupt；　that　I　am　in　hiding；　that　I　have　no　bread；　that　I　have　not　a　single　sou；　that　I　am　a　villain！　It's　three　days　since　I　have　had　anything　to　eat；　so　I'm　a　villain！　Ah！　you　folks　warm　your　feet；　you　have　Sakoski　boots；　you　have　wadded　great…coats；　like　archbishops；　you　lodge　on　the　first　floor　in　houses　that　have　porters；　you　eat　truffles；　you　eat　asparagus　at　forty　francs　the　bunch　in　the　month　of　January；　and　green　peas；　you　gorge　yourselves；　and　when　you　want　to　know　whether　it　is　cold；　you　look　in　the　papers　to　see　what　the　engineer　Chevalier's　thermometer　says　about　it。
　　We；　it　is　we　who　are　thermometers。　We　don't　need　to　go　out　and　look　on　the　quay　at　the　corner　of　the　Tour　de　l'Horologe；　to　find　out　the　number　of　degrees　of　cold；　we　feel　our　blood　congealing　in　our　veins；　and　the　ice　forming　round　our　hearts；　and　we　say：
　　‘There　is　no　God！'
　　And　you　e　to　our　caverns；　yes　our　caverns；　for　the　purpose　of　calling　us　villains！　But　we'll　devour　you！
　　But　we'll　devour　you；　poor　little　things！　Just　see　here；　Mister　millionnaire：
　　I　have　been　a　solid　man；　I　have　held　a　license；　I　have　been　an　elector；　I　am　a　bourgeois；　that　I　am！
　　And　it's　quite　possible　that　you　are　not！〃
　　Here　Thenardier　took　a　step　towards　the　men　who　stood　near　the　door；　and　added　with　a　shudder：
　　〃When　I　think　that　he　has　dared　to　e　here　and　talk　to　me　like　a　cobbler！〃
　　Then　addressing　M。　Leblanc　with　a　fresh　outburst　of　frenzy：
　　〃And　listen　to　this　also；　Mister　philanthropist！
　　I'm　not　a　suspicious　character；　not　a　bit　of　it！
　　I'm　not　a　man　whose　name　nobody　knows；　and　who　es　and　abducts　children　from　houses！　I'm　an　old　French　soldier；　I　ought　to　have　been　decorated！　I　was　at　Waterloo；　so　I　was！
　　And　in　the　battle　I　saved　a　general　called　the　te　of　I　don't　know　what。
　　He　told　me　his　name；　but　his　beastly　voice　was　so　weak　that　I　didn't　hear。
　　All　I　caught　was　Merci　＇thanks＇。　I'd　rather　have　had　his　name　than　his　thanks。　That　would　have　helped　me　to　find　him　again。
　　The　picture　that　you　see　here；　and　which　was　painted　by　David　at　Bruqueselles；do　you　know　what　it　represents？
　　It　represents　me。
　　David　wished　to　immortalize　that　feat　of　prowess。
　　I　have　that　general　on　my　back；　and　I　am　carrying　him　through　the　grape…shot。　There's　the　history　of　it！　That　general　never　did　a　single　thing　for　me；　he　was　no　better　than　the　rest！
　　But　none　the　less；　I　saved　his　life　at　the　risk　of　my　own；　and　I　have　the　certificate　of　the　fact　in　my　pocket！　I　am　a　soldier　of　Waterloo；　by　all　the　furies！
　　And　now　that　I　have　had　the　goodness　to　tell　you　all　this；　let's　have　an　end　of　it。　I　want　money；　I　want　a　deal　of　money；　I　must　have　an　enormous　lot　of　money；　or　I'll　exterminate　you；　by　the　thunder　of　the　good　God！〃
　　Marius　had　regained　some　measure　of　control　over　his　anguish；　and　was　listening。
　　The　last　possibility　of　doubt　had　just　vanished。　It　certainly　was　the　Thenardier　of　the　will。
　　Marius　shuddered　at　that　reproach　of　ingratitude　directed　against　his　father；　and　which　he　was　on　the　point　of　so　fatally　justifying。
　　His　perplexity　was　redoubled。
　　Moreover；　there　was　in　all　these　words　of　Thenardier；　in　his　accent；　in　his　gesture；　in　his　glance　which　darted　flames　at　every　word；　there　was；　in　this　explosion　of　an　evil　nature　disclosing　everything；　in　that　mixture　of　braggadocio　and　abjectness；　of　pride　and　pettiness；　of　rage　and　folly；　in　that　chaos　of　real　griefs　and　false　sentiments；　in　that　immodesty　of　a　malicious　man　tasting　the　voluptuous　delights　of　violence；　in　that　shameless　nudity　of　a　repulsive　soul；　in　that　conflagration　of　all　sufferings　bined　with　all　hatreds；　something　which　was　as　hideous　as　evil；　and　as　heart…rending　as　the　truth。
　　The　picture　of　the　master；　the　painting　by　David　which　he　had　proposed　that　M。　Leblanc　should　purchase；　was　nothing　else；　as　the　reader　has　divined；　than　the　sign　of　his　tavern　painted；　as　it　will　be　remembered；　by　hims