by Victor Hugo
CHAPTER II.
IT IS FORTUNATE THAT THE BRIDGE OF AUSTERLITZ WILL CARRY WAGONS.
Uncertainty ceased for Jean Valjean; but fortunately it still lastedwith the men. He took advantage of their hesitation, for it was timelost by them and gained by him. He left the gateway in which he wasconcealed, and pushed on along the Rue des Postes toward the region ofthe Jardin des Plantes. As Cosette was beginning to feel tired, he tookher in his arms and carried her. No one was passing, and the lamps hadnot been lit, on account of the moon. He doubled his pace, and in a fewstrides reached the Goblet pottery, on the front of which the moonshinemade the old inscription distinctly visible:--
"Du Goblet fils c'est içi la fabrique: Venez choisir des cruches et des brocs: Des pots à fleurs, des tuyaux, de la brique, À tout venant le Cœur vend des carreaux."
He left behind him the Rue de la Clef, skirted the Jardin des Plantes,and reached the quay. Here he turned; the quay was deserted, thestreets were deserted. There was no one behind him, and he breathedagain. He reached the Austerlitz bridge, where a toll still existed atthe time, and he handed the tollman a sou.
"It is two sous," said the man; "you are carrying a child who can walk,so you must pay for two."
He paid, though greatly vexed that his passing had given rise to anyremark. A heavy wain was passing the river at the same time as himself,and also proceeding to the right bank. This was useful for him, as hecould cross the whole of the bridge in its shadow. On reaching thearches of the bridge, Cosette, whose feet were numbed, asked to beput down; he did so, and took her by the hand again. After crossingthe bridge, he saw a little to his right building-yards, towardswhich he proceeded. In order to reach them he must cross an openbrilliantly-lighted space; but he did not hesitate. His pursuers wereevidently thrown out, and Jean Valjean believed himself out of danger;he might be looked for, but he was not followed. A little street, theRue du Chemin Vert St. Antoine, ran between two timber-yards; it wasnarrow, dark, and seemed expressly made for him, but before enteringit he looked back. From the spot where he was he could see the wholelength of the bridge of Austerlitz; four shadows had just come upon it,and were walking towards the right bank. The four shadows were the fourmen.
Jean Valjean gave a start like a recaptured animal. One hope was lefthim,--it was that the four men had not been upon the bridge at themoment when he crossed the large illumined space with Cosette. In thatcase, by entering the little street before him, he might escape, if hecould reach the timber-yards, kitchen-gardens, fields, and land not yetbuilt on. He fancied that he could trust to this little silent street,and entered it.
