133 4 Les Miserables
and the corridor, and when he enters here, you will go down
stairs again as speedily as possible, you will pay the coach-
man, and dismiss the fiacre.’
‘And the money?’ inquired the woman.
Jondrette fumbled in his trousers pocket and handed her
five francs.
‘What’s this?’ she exclaimed.
Jondrette replied with dignity:—
‘That is the monarch which our neighbor gave us this
morning.’
And he added:—
‘Do you know what? Two chairs will be needed here.’
‘What for?’
‘To sit on.’
Marius felt a cold chill pass through his limbs at hearing
this mild answer from Jondrette.
‘Pardieu! I’ll go and get one of our neighbor’s.’
And with a rapid movement, she opened the door of the
den, and went out into the corridor.
Marius absolutely had not the time to descend from the
commode, reach his bed, and conceal himself beneath it.
‘Take the candle,’ cried Jondrette.
‘No,’ said she, ‘it would embarrass me, I have the two
chairs to carry. There is moonlight.’
Marius heard Mother Jondrette’s heavy hand fumbling at
his lock in the dark. The door opened. He remained nailed
to the spot with the shock and with horror.
The Jondrette entered.
The dormer window permitted the entrance of a ray of