2428 Les Miserables
Marius rose to his feet trembling, despairing, radiant.
He fumbled in his pocket and stalked furiously to Th-
enardier, presenting to him and almost thrusting in his face
his fist filled with bank-notes for five hundred and a thou-
sand francs.
‘You are an infamous wretch! you are a liar, a calumnia-
tor, a villain. You came to accuse that man, you have only
justified him; you wanted to ruin him, you have only suc-
ceeded in glorifying him. And it is you who are the thief!
And it is you who are the assassin! I saw you, Thenardi-
er Jondrette, in that lair on the Rue de l’Hopital. I know
enough about you to send you to the galleys and even fur-
ther if I choose. Here are a thousand francs, bully that you
are!’
And he flung a thousand franc note at Thenardier.
‘Ah! Jondrette Thenardier, vile rascal! Let this serve you
as a lesson, you dealer in second-hand secrets, merchant of
mysteries, rummager of the shadows, wretch! Take these
five hundred francs and get out of here! Waterloo protects
you.’
‘Waterloo!’ growled Thenardier, pocketing the five hun-
dred francs along with the thousand.
‘Yes, assassin! You there saved the life of a Colonel.. .’
‘Of a General,’ said Thenardier, elevating his head.
‘Of a Colonel!’ repeated Marius in a rage. ‘I wouldn’t
give a ha’penny for a general. And you come here to com-
mit infamies! I tell you that you have committed all crimes.
Go! disappear! Only be happy, that is all that I desire. Ah!
monster! here are three thousand francs more. Take them.