英文名著分集阅读 维克多·雨果《悲惨世界》part3

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

原文 Chapter 3: Cosette

Monsieur Madeleine is of course Jean Valjean. You knew that already after Denya. He sells the bishop's silver plates, but keeps the candlesticks. He comes to Montroy,builds his factory, works hard, is kind to other people. He makes a new good life, and is true to the bishop of Denya. But after Valjean left prison in Toulon and before he came to Denya, he was hungry, and in a street in Toulon he stole some money from a boy, just one franc, to buy bread. Because he did this, the law in France says that prisoner Valjean must go back to prison and stay there for life. He can never be a free man again. And so we meet Javert. Before Montroy,he was a prison guard at Toulon. The law is his god, and he hates all criminals. He remembers Jean Valjean, that big strong man, very well. He wants to see him in prison again, and he Inspector Javert is going to put him there. Jean Valjean remembers Javert now. He remembers the cold eyes, the hard voice, the cruel prison guard's smile. He remembers and is afraid. He knows that Javert is his enemy for life, but he remembers Fantine, too. He remembers her dying words, “Please take care of Cosette, please.” How can he leave this little girl without a mother, without a friend in the world? He must find her, Javert or no Javert. Monsieur and Madame Thenardier lived in a village called Montfermeil near Paris. There was no water in the village, and the nearest water was a small river in a wood 15 minutes ' walk away. People carried the water in buckets to their houses. Cosette hated that wood. At night, the trees made noises. She was frightened of the noises, frightened of the dark, and with a heavy bucket of water it was a long walk home. One dark winter night in 1823, Madame Thenardier sent Cosette out to the river for water. Cosette ran to the river. And then, with her heavy bucket of water, she began to walk home. The trees were noisy tonight, whispering and laughing at her. And the little girl began to cry. “Oh, please God, help me, please, dear God.” And suddenly the bucket was gone. A great hand came down and took it from her. She looked up and saw big man in an old yellow coat. Sometimes we know without words when something good is happening. The little girl knew that now, and she was not frightened of the big man, not a bit. The man spoke to her child, “This is a very heavy bucket. Shall I carry it for you?” “Yes, monsieur.” “How old are you?” “I'm 8 years old, monsieur.” “Where is your mother?” “I don't know,”said the child, “I haven't got a mother.” “What's your name?” “Cosette.” The big man stopped, he put the bucket down and looked into Cosette's face. “Why are you carrying a heavy bucket of water at this time of night, who sent you?” “Madame Thenardier.” “I would like to talk to this Madame Thenardier. Shall we go and see her?” “Yes,monsieur.” Cosette was not afraid of the tree noises now. This big man with his gentle voice was a new and wonderful thing in her life. They walked to the Thenardier's house. “Please,monsieur, can I carry the bucket now?” “But why?” “I can't ask people for help. Madame says she hits me when I do that,” Cosette said, “she hits me all the time.” He gave her the bucket. The Thenardiers were very surprised to see Cosette's new friend, this big man in the old yellow coat. Inside the house, the big man looked at Cosette. He saw her thin clothes, her dirty hair, her big frightened eyes. She was small for her 8 years. Her hands were red from kitchen work, and she had no shoes. “Why does this child have no shoes on her feet on this cold winter night?” He said to Madame Thenardier. Madame Thenardier looked at Cosette angrily. “Go into the kitchen, Cosette. There is work to do, go. And are you?Monsieur.” Thenardier said. “I am here for Fantine, the child's mother,” said the big man. “You don't need to know my name. Fantine is dead, so you can get no more money from her here.” He put some money on the table is 1500 fra