924 Les Miserables
CHAPTER IV
IN WHICH JEAN VALJEAN
HAS QUITE THE AIR
OF HAVING READ
AUSTIN CASTILLEJO
The strides of a lame man are like the ogling glances of a
one-eyed man; they do not reach their goal very promptly.
Moreover, Fauchelevent was in a dilemma. He took nearly
a quarter of an hour to return to his cottage in the garden.
Cosette had waked up. Jean Valjean had placed her near
the fire. At the moment when Fauchelevent entered, Jean
Valjean was pointing out to her the vintner’s basket on the
wall, and saying to her, ‘Listen attentively to me, my little
Cosette. We must go away from this house, but we shall re-
turn to it, and we shall be very happy here. The good man
who lives here is going to carry you off on his back in that.
You will wait for me at a lady’s house. I shall come to fetch
you. Obey, and say nothing, above all things, unless you
want Madame Thenardier to get you again!’