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now preserved a gloomy silence.
When they had left the church behind them, the man, on
perceiving all the open-air booths, asked Cosette:—
‘So there is a fair going on here?’
‘No, sir; it is Christmas.’
As they approached the tavern, Cosette timidly touched
his arm:—
‘Monsieur?’
‘What, my child?’
‘We are quite near the house.’
‘Wel l? ’
‘Will you let me take my bucket now?’
‘Why?’
‘If Madame sees that some one has carried it for me, she
will beat me.’
The man handed her the bucket. An instant later they
were at the tavern door.