230 Les Miserables
CHAPTER VI
A CHAPTER IN WHICH
THEY ADORE EACH OTHER
Chat at table, the chat of love; it is as impossible to repro-
duce one as the other; the chat of love is a cloud; the chat at
table is smoke.
Fameuil and Dahlia were humming. Tholomyes was
drinking. Zephine was laughing, Fantine smiling, Listoli-
er blowing a wooden trumpet which he had purchased at
Saint-Cloud.
Favourite gazed tenderly at Blachevelle and said:—
‘Blachevelle, I adore you.’
This called forth a question from Blachevelle:—
‘What would you do, Favourite, if I were to cease to love
you?’
‘I!’ cried Favourite. ‘Ah! Do not say that even in jest! If
you were to cease to love me, I would spring after you, I
would scratch you, I should rend you, I would throw you
into the water, I would have you arrested.’
Blachevelle smiled with the voluptuous self-conceit of a
man who is tickled in his self-love. Favourite resumed:—