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Marius heard him lay something heavy on the table； probably the chisel which he had purchased。
〃By the way；〃 said Jondrette； 〃have you been eating here？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the mother。
〃I got three large potatoes and some salt。 I took advantage of the fire to cook them。〃
〃Good；〃 returned Jondrette。
〃To…morrow I will take you out to dine with me。
We will have a duck and fixings。
You shall dine like Charles the Tenth； all is going well！〃
Then he added：
〃The mouse…trap is open。
The cats are there。〃
He lowered his voice still further； and said：
〃Put this in the fire。〃
Marius heard a sound of charcoal being knocked with the tongs or some iron utensil； and Jondrette continued：
〃Have you greased the hinges of the door so that they will not squeak？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied the mother。
〃What time is it？〃
〃Nearly six。
The half…hour struck from Saint…Medard a while ago。〃
〃The devil！〃 ejaculated Jondrette； 〃the children must go and watch。 e you； do you listen here。〃
A whispering ensued。
Jondrette's voice became audible again：
〃Has old Bougon left？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the mother。
〃Are you sure that there is no one in our neighbor's room？〃
〃He has not been in all day； and you know very well that this is his dinner hour。〃
〃You are sure？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃All the same；〃 said Jondrette； 〃there's no harm in going to see whether he is there。
Here； my girl； take the candle and go there。〃
Marius fell on his hands and knees and crawled silently under his bed。
Hardly had he concealed himself； when he perceived a light through the crack of his door。
〃P'pa；〃 cried a voice； 〃he is not in here。〃
He recognized the voice of the eldest daughter。
〃Did you go in？〃 demanded her father。
〃No；〃 replied the girl； 〃but as his key is in the door； he must be out。〃
The father exclaimed：
〃Go in； nevertheless。〃
The door opened； and Marius saw the tall Jondrette e in with a candle in her hand。
She was as she had been in the morning； only still more repulsive in this light。
She walked straight up to the bed。
Marius endured an indescribable moment of anxiety； but near the bed there was a mirror nailed to the wall； and it was thither that she was directing her steps。 She raised herself on tiptoe and looked at herself in it。 In the neighboring room； the sound of iron articles being moved was audible。
She smoothed her hair with the palm of her hand； and smiled into the mirror； humming with her cracked and sepulchral voice：Nos amours ont dure toute une semaine；＇28＇
Mais que du bonheur les instants sont courts！
S'adorer huit jours； c' etait bien la peine！
Le temps des amours devait durer toujours！
Devrait durer toujours！ devrait durer toujours！
＇28＇ Our love has lasted a whole week； but how short are the instants of happiness！
To adore each other for eight days was hardly worth the while！
The time of love should last forever。
In the meantime； Marius trembled。
It seemed impossible to him that she should not hear his breathing。
She stepped to the window and looked out with the half…foolish way she had。
〃How ugly Paris is when it has put on a white chemise！〃 said she。
She returned to the mirror and began again to put on airs before it； scrutinizing herself full…face and three…quarters face in turn。
〃Well！〃 cried her father； 〃what are you about there？〃
〃I am looking under the bed and the furniture；〃 she replied； continuing to arrange her hair； 〃there's no one here。〃
〃Booby！〃 yelled her father。
〃e here this minute！
And don't waste any time about it！〃
〃ing！
ing！〃 said she。
〃One has no time for anything in this hovel！〃
She hummed：Vous me quittez pour aller a la gloire；＇29＇
Mon triste coeur suivra partout。
＇29＇ You leave me to go to glory； my sad heart will follow you everywhere。
She cast a parting glance in the mirror and went out； shutting the door behind her。
A moment more； and Marius heard the sound of the two young girls' bare feet in the corridor； and Jondrette's voice shouting to them：
〃Pay strict heed！
One on the side of the barrier； the other at the corner of the Rue du Petit…Banquier。 Don't lose sight for a moment of the door of this house； and the moment you see anything； rush here on the instant！ as hard as you can go！
You have a key to get in。〃
The eldest girl grumbled：
〃The idea of standing watch in the snow barefoot！〃
〃To…morrow you shall have some dainty little green silk boots！〃 said the father。
They ran down stairs； and a few seconds later the shock of the outer door as it banged to announced that they were outside。
There now remained in the house only Marius； the Jondrettes and probably； also； the mysterious persons of whom Marius had caught a glimpse in the twilight； behind the door of the unused attic。
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER XVII
THE USE MADE OF MARIUS' FIVE…FRANC PIECE
Marius decided that the moment had now arrived when he must resume his post at his observatory。
In a twinkling； and with the agility of his age； he had reached the hole in the partition。
He looked。
The interior of the Jondrette apartment presented a curious aspect； and Marius found an explanation of the singular light which he had noticed。
A candle was burning in a candlestick covered with verdigris； but that was not what really lighted the chamber。 The hovel was pletely illuminated； as it were； by the reflection from a rather large sheet…iron brazier standing in the fireplace； and filled with burning charcoal； the brazier prepared by the Jondrette woman that morning。
The charcoal was glowing hot and the brazier was red； a blue flame flickered over it； and helped him to make out the form of the chisel purchased by Jondrette in the Rue Pierre…Lombard； where it had been thrust into the brazier to heat。
In one corner； near the door； and as though prepared for some definite use； two heaps were visible； which appeared to be； the one a heap of old iron； the other a heap of ropes。
All this would have caused the mind of a person who knew nothing of what was in preparation； to waver between a very sinister and a very simple idea。
The lair thus lighted up more resembled a forge than a mouth of hell； but Jondrette； in this light； had rather the air of a demon than of a smith。
The heat of the brazier was so great； that the candle on the table was melting on the side next the chafing…dish； and was drooping over。 An old dark…lantern of copper； worthy of Diogenes turned Cartouche； stood on the chimney…piece。
The brazier； placed in the fireplace itself； beside the nearly extinct brands； sent its vapors up the chimney； and gave out no odor。
The moon； entering through the four panes of the window； cast its whiteness into the crimson and flaming garret； and to the poetic spirit of Marius； who was dreamy even in the moment of action； it was like a thought of heaven mingled with the misshapen reveries of earth。
A breath of air which made its way in through the open pane； helped to dis