by Victor Hugo
CHAPTER VIII.
THE ENIGMA INCREASES.
The child had rested her head on a stone and fallen asleep. JeanValjean sat down by her side and began gazing at her; gradually, as helooked, he grew calm and regained possession of his freedom of mind.
He clearly perceived this truth, the basis of his future life, that,so long as she was there, so long as he had her by his side, he wouldrequire nothing except for her, nor fear anything save on her account.He did not even feel the cold particularly; for, though he had takenoff his coat, it was to cover her. Still, through the reverie intowhich he had fallen he had heard for some time past a singular noise,like a bell being rung, and it was in the garden. It could be hearddistinctly, though faintly, and resembled those cattle-bells whichproduce a gentle melody at night in the grazing fields. This noise madeJean Valjean turn, and he saw that there was some one in the garden. Abeing looking like a man was walking among the melon-frames, rising,stooping, and stopping with regular movements, as if he was draggingor stretching out something on the ground. This man was apparentlylame. Jean Valjean gave the continual, trembling start of the unhappy;everything is hostile and suspicious to them; they distrust the daybecause it allows them to be seen, and night because it helps insurprising them. Just now he shuddered because the garden was deserted,and now he shuddered because there was some one in it. He fell backfrom chimerical into real terror; he said to himself that Javert andthe police had probably not gone away, that they had, in any case,left watchmen in the street; and that if this man discovered him hewould give an alarm and hand him over to the police. He gently raisedthe still sleeping Cosette in his arms, and carried her behind a massof old furniture in the most remote part of the shed; Cosette did notstir. From this spot he observed the movements of the being in themelon-ground; the strange thing was that the noise of the bell followedthis man's every movement. When he approached the sound approached;when he went away the sound went away. If he made a sudden movementa little peal followed the movement, and when he stopped the noiseceased. It appeared evident that the bell was fastened to this man; butin that case what could be the meaning of it? Who was the man to whoma bell was fastened as if he were a ram or an ox? While asking himselfthese questions he touched Cosette's hands; they were chilled.
"Oh, Heaven!" he said.
And he asked in a whisper,--"Cosette!"
She did not open her eyes. He shook her sharply, but she did not awake.
"Can she be dead?" he said to himself; and he rose shivering from headto foot.
The most frightful thoughts crossed his mind pell-mell. There aremoments when hideous suppositions assail us like a band of furies andviolently force the bolts of our brain. When it is a question aboutpeople whom we love, our prudence invents all sorts of follies. Heremembered that sleep in the open air on a cold night might be mortal.Cosette was lying stretched out motionless at his feet. He listened forher breath; she was breathing, but so faintly that it seemed as if therespiration would cease at any moment. How was he to warm her? How washe to wake her? All that did not refer to this slipped from his mind,and he rushed wildly from the shed. It was absolutely necessary thatCosette should be in bed before a fire within a quarter of an hour.
