246 Les Miserables
low and black, heavily loaded, noisily harnessed, rendered
shapeless by trunks, tarpaulins, and valises, full of heads
which immediately disappeared, rushed through the crowd
with all the sparks of a forge, with dust for smoke, and an
air of fury, grinding the pavements, changing all the pav-
ing-stones into steels. This uproar delighted the young girls.
Favourite exclaimed:—
‘What a row! One would say that it was a pile of chains
flying away.’
It chanced that one of these vehicles, which they could
only see with difficulty through the thick elms, halted for a
moment, then set out again at a gallop. This surprised Fan-
tine.
‘That’s odd!’ said she. ‘I thought the diligence never
stopped.’
Favourite shrugged her shoulders.
‘This Fantine is surprising. I am coming to take a look
at her out of curiosity. She is dazzled by the simplest things.
Suppose a case: I am a traveller; I say to the diligence, ‘I
will go on in advance; you shall pick me up on the quay as
you pass.’ The diligence passes, sees me, halts, and takes me.
That is done every day. You do not know life, my dear.’
In this manner a certain time elapsed. All at once Favou-
rite made a movement, like a person who is just waking up.
‘Well,’ said she, ‘and the surprise?’
‘Yes, by the way,’ joined in Dahlia, ‘the famous sur-
prise?’
‘They are a very long time about it!’ said Fantine.
As Fantine concluded this sigh, the waiter who had