480 Les Miserables
caught a glimpse in all this.
He inquired:—
‘Can I see her?’
‘Is not Monsieur le Maire going to have her child brought
back to her?’ said the sister, hardly venturing to put the
question.
‘Of course; but it will take two or three days at least.’
‘If she were not to see Monsieur le Maire until that time,’
went on the sister, timidly, ‘she would not know that Mon-
sieur le Maire had returned, and it would be easy to inspire
her with patience; and when the child arrived, she would
naturally think Monsieur le Maire had just come with the
child. We should not have to enact a lie.’
M. Madeleine seemed to reflect for a few moments; then
he said with his calm gravity:—
‘No, sister, I must see her. I may, perhaps, be in haste.’
The nun did not appear to notice this word ‘perhaps,’
which communicated an obscure and singular sense to the
words of the mayor’s speech. She replied, lowering her eyes
and her voice respectfully:—
‘In that case, she is asleep; but Monsieur le Maire may
enter.’
He made some remarks about a door which shut bad-
ly, and the noise of which might awaken the sick woman;
then he entered Fantine’s chamber, approached the bed and
drew aside the curtains. She was asleep. Her breath issued
from her breast with that tragic sound which is peculiar
to those maladies, and which breaks the hearts of moth-
ers when they are watching through the night beside their