2402 Les Miserables
husband was right in giving me to understand that I ought
to go away; but there is a little error in what he believed,
though he was in the right. He is excellent. Love him well
even after I am dead. Monsieur Pontmercy, love my dar-
ling child well. Cosette, this paper will be found; this is
what I wish to say to thee, thou wilt see the figures, if I have
the strength to recall them, listen well, this money is real-
ly thine. Here is the whole matter: White jet comes from
Norway, black jet comes from England, black glass jewellery
comes from Germany. Jet is the lightest, the most precious,
the most costly. Imitations can be made in France as well
as in Germany. What is needed is a little anvil two inch-
es square, and a lamp burning spirits of wine to soften the
wax. The wax was formerly made with resin and lampblack,
and cost four livres the pound. I invented a way of making
it with gum shellac and turpentine. It does not cost more
than thirty sous, and is much better. Buckles are made with
a violet glass which is stuck fast, by means of this wax, to
a little framework of black iron. The glass must be violet
for iron jewellery, and black for gold jewellery. Spain buys a
great deal of it. It is the country of jet ...’
Here he paused, the pen fell from his fingers, he was
seized by one of those sobs which at times welled up from
the very depths of his being; the poor man clasped his head
in both hands, and meditated.
‘Oh!’ he exclaimed within himself [lamentable cries,
heard by God alone], ‘all is over. I shall never see her more.
She is a smile which passed over me. I am about to plunge
into the night without even seeing her again. Oh! one min-