按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He should never more stroll in the fields； he should never more hear the birds sing in the month of May； he should never more bestow alms on the little children； he should never more experience the sweetness of having glances of gratitude and love fixed upon him； he should quit that house which he had built； that little chamber！
Everything seemed charming to him at that moment。
Never again should he read those books； never more should he write on that little table of white wood； his old portress； the only servant whom he kept； would never more bring him his coffee in the morning。
Great God！ instead of that； the convict gang； the iron necklet； the red waistcoat； the chain on his ankle； fatigue； the cell； the camp bed all those horrors which he knew so well！
At his age； after having been what he was！ If he were only young again！ but to be addressed in his old age as 〃thou〃 by any one who pleased； to be searched by the convict…guard； to receive the galley…sergeant's cudgellings； to wear iron…bound shoes on his bare feet； to have to stretch out his leg night and morning to the hammer of the roundsman who visits the gang； to submit to the curiosity of strangers； who would be told：
〃That man yonder is the famous Jean Valjean； who was mayor of M。 sur M。〃； and at night； dripping with perspiration； overwhelmed with lassitude； their green caps drawn over their eyes； to remount； two by two； the ladder staircase of the galleys beneath the sergeant's whip。 Oh； what misery！
Can destiny； then； be as malicious as an intelligent being； and bee as monstrous as the human heart？
And do what he would； he always fell back upon the heartrending dilemma which lay at the foundation of his revery：
〃Should he remain in paradise and bee a demon？
Should he return to hell and bee an angel？〃
What was to be done？
Great God！ what was to be done？
The torment from which he had escaped with so much difficulty was unchained afresh within him。
His ideas began to grow confused once more； they assumed a kind of stupefied and mechanical quality which is peculiar to despair。
The name of Romainville recurred incessantly to his mind； with the two verses of a song which he had heard in the past。
He thought that Romainville was a little grove near Paris； where young lovers go to pluck lilacs in the month of April。
He wavered outwardly as well as inwardly。
He walked like a little child who is permitted to toddle alone。
At intervals； as he bated his lassitude； he made an effort to recover the mastery of his mind。
He tried to put to himself； for the last time； and definitely； the problem over which he had； in a manner； fallen prostrate with fatigue：
Ought he to denounce himself？
Ought he to hold his peace？
He could not manage to see anything distinctly。
The vague aspects of all the courses of reasoning which had been sketched out by his meditations quivered and vanished； one after the other； into smoke。
He only felt that； to whatever course of action he made up his mind； something in him must die； and that of necessity； and without his being able to escape the fact； that he was entering a sepulchre on the right hand as much as on the left； that he was passing through a death agony； the agony of his happiness； or the agony of his virtue。
Alas！ all his resolution had again taken possession of him。 He was no further advanced than at the beginning。
Thus did this unhappy soul struggle in its anguish。 Eighteen hundred years before this unfortunate man； the mysterious Being in whom are summed up all the sanctities and all the sufferings of humanity had also long thrust aside with his hand； while the olive…trees quivered in the wild wind of the infinite； the terrible cup which appeared to Him dripping with darkness and overflowing with shadows in the depths all studded with stars。
BOOK SEVENTH。THE CHAMPMATHIEU AFFAIR
CHAPTER IV
FORMS ASSUMED BY SUFFERING DURING SLEEP
Three o'clock in the morning had just struck； and he had been walking thus for five hours； almost uninterruptedly； when he at length allowed himself to drop into his chair。
There he fell asleep and had a dream。
This dream； like the majority of dreams； bore no relation to the situation； except by its painful and heart…rending character； but it made an impression on him。
This nightmare struck him so forcibly that he wrote it down later on。
It is one of the papers in his own handwriting which he has bequeathed to us。
We think that we have here reproduced the thing in strict accordance with the text。
Of whatever nature this dream may be； the history of this night would be inplete if we were to omit it：
it is the gloomy adventure of an ailing soul。
Here it is。
On the envelope we find this line inscribed； 〃The Dream I had that Night。〃
〃I was in a plain； a vast； gloomy plain； where there was no grass。 It did not seem to me to be daylight nor yet night。
〃I was walking with my brother； the brother of my childish years； the brother of whom； I must say； I never think； and whom I now hardly remember。
〃We were conversing and we met some passers…by。 We were talking of a neighbor of ours in former days； who had always worked with her window open from the time when she came to live on the street。 As we talked we felt cold because of that open window。
〃There were no trees in the plain。
We saw a man passing close to us。 He was entirely nude； of the hue of ashes； and mounted on a horse which was earth color。
The man had no hair； we could see his skull and the veins on it。
In his hand he held a switch which was as supple as a vine…shoot and as heavy as iron。
This horseman passed and said nothing to us。
〃My brother said to me； ‘Let us take to the hollow road。'
〃There existed a hollow way wherein one saw neither a single shrub nor a spear of moss。
Everything was dirt…colored； even the sky。 After proceeding a few paces； I received no reply when I spoke： I perceived that my brother was no longer with me。
〃I entered a village which I espied。
I reflected that it must be Romainville。