登陆注册
12107900000025

第25章 PART ONE(24)

The host,who was also the chief cook,was going from one stew-pan to another,very busily superintending an excellent dinner designed for the wagoners,whose loud talking,conversation,and laughter were audible from an adjoining apartment.Any one who has travelled knows that there is no one who indulges in better cheer than wagoners.

A fat marmot,flanked by white partridges and heather-cocks,was turning on a long spit before the fire;on the stove,two huge carps from Lake Lauzet and a trout from Lake Alloz were cooking.

The host,hearing the door open and seeing a newcomer enter,said,without raising his eyes from his stoves:——

'What do you wish,sir?'

'Food and lodging,'said the man.

'Nothing easier,'replied the host.

At that moment he turned his head,took in the traveller's appearance with a single glance,and added,'By paying for it.'

The man drew a large leather purse from the pocket of his blouse,and answered,'I have money.'

'In that case,we are at your service,'said the host.

The man put his purse back in his pocket,removed his knapsack from his back,put it on the ground near the door,retained his stick in his hand,and seated himself on a low stool close to the fire.D——is in the mountains.

The evenings are cold there in October.

But as the host went back and forth,he scrutinized the traveller.

'Will dinner be ready soon?'said the man.

'Immediately,'replied the landlord.

While the newcomer was warming himself before the fire,with his back turned,the worthy host,Jacquin Labarre,drew a pencil from his pocket,then tore off the corner of an old newspaper which was lying on a small table near the window.

On the white margin he wrote a line or two,folded it without sealing,and then intrusted this scrap of paper to a child who seemed to serve him in the capacity both of scullion and lackey.

The landlord whispered a word in the scullion's ear,and the child set off on a run in the direction of the town-hall.

The traveller saw nothing of all this.

Once more he inquired,'Will dinner be ready soon?'

'Immediately,'responded the host.

The child returned.

He brought back the paper.

The host unfolded it eagerly,like a person who is expecting a reply.

He seemed to read it attentively,then tossed his head,and remained thoughtful for a moment.

Then he took a step in the direction of the traveller,who appeared to be immersed in reflections which were not very serene.

'I cannot receive you,sir,'said he.

The man half rose.

'What!

Are you afraid that I will not pay you?

Do you want me to pay you in advance?

I have money,I tell you.'

'It is not that.'

'What then?'

'You have money——'

'Yes,'said the man.

'And I,'said the host,'have no room.'

The man resumed tranquilly,'Put me in the stable.'

'I cannot.'

'Why?'

'The horses take up all the space.'

'Very well!'retorted the man;'a corner of the loft then,a truss of straw.

We will see about that after dinner.'

'I cannot give you any dinner.'

This declaration,made in a measured but firm tone,struck the stranger as grave.

He rose.

'Ah!bah!

But I am dying of hunger.

I have been walking since sunrise.I have travelled twelve leagues.

I pay.

I wish to eat.'

'I have nothing,'said the landlord.

The man burst out laughing,and turned towards the fireplace and the stoves:

'Nothing!and all that?'

'All that is engaged.'

'By whom?'

'By messieurs the wagoners.'

'How many are there of them?'

'Twelve.'

'There is enough food there for twenty.'

'They have engaged the whole of it and paid for it in advance.'

The man seated himself again,and said,without raising his voice,'I am at an inn;I am hungry,and I shall remain.'

Then the host bent down to his ear,and said in a tone which made him start,'Go away!'

At that moment the traveller was bending forward and thrusting some brands into the fire with the iron-shod tip of his staff;he turned quickly round,and as he opened his mouth to reply,the host gazed steadily at him and added,still in a low voice:'Stop!there's enough of that sort of talk.

Do you want me to tell you your name?

Your name is Jean Valjean.

Now do you want me to tell you who you are?

When I saw you come in I suspected something;I sent to the town-hall,and this was the reply that was sent to me.Can you read?

So saying,he held out to the stranger,fully unfolded,the paper which had just travelled from the inn to the town-hall,and from the town-hall to the inn.

The man cast a glance upon it.The landlord resumed after a pause.

'I am in the habit of being polite to every one.

Go away!'

The man dropped his head,picked up the knapsack which he had deposited on the ground,and took his departure.

He chose the principal street.

He walked straight on at a venture,keeping close to the houses like a sad and humiliated man.He did not turn round a single time.

Had he done so,he would have seen the host of the Cross of Colbas standing on his threshold,surrounded by all the guests of his inn,and all the passers-by in the street,talking vivaciously,and pointing him out with his finger;and,from the glances of terror and distrust cast by the group,he might have divined that his arrival would speedily become an event for the whole town.

He saw nothing of all this.

People who are crushed do not look behind them.

They know but too well the evil fate which follows them.

Thus he proceeded for some time,walking on without ceasing,traversing at random streets of which he knew nothing,forgetful of his fatigue,as is often the case when a man is sad.

All at once he felt the pangs of hunger sharply.

Night was drawing near.He glanced about him,to see whether he could not discover some shelter.

The fine hostelry was closed to him;he was seeking some very humble public house,some hovel,however lowly.

Just then a light flashed up at the end of the streets;a pine branch suspended from a cross-beam of iron was outlined against the white sky of the twilight.

He proceeded thither.

It proved to be,in fact,a public house.

The public house which is in the Rue de Chaffaut.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 黑暗帝皇之火凤来仪

    黑暗帝皇之火凤来仪

    浪漫的爱尔兰,成就她和他的缘起。那一日,她繁花韶龄,回眸一笑绝艳天下;那一日,他逆光而来,眼底温和笑意深埋黑暗。计谋巧变,真假面具,是谁真心交付,换来生死相许。利益谋算,杀机四伏,谁的野心在暗,布下生死之局。——这是一场权力的博弈,爱情在其中显得格外苍白,她不相信这个世上没有真心,他在痛苦中两难抉择,这场艰难的爱恋,能否开花结果?
  • 九生:神蟒重生

    九生:神蟒重生

    九次生命,给这只非洲巨蟒带来了逆天大蜕变。从一只令人恐惧的巨蟒,变成拯救世界的英雄!第四宇宙中,那4号地球中的虫洞以第三宇宙速度迅速膨胀,很快将其毁灭。那超光速飞船进入空间蛀洞,来到地球……一场真正的星战,爆发!
  • 陨落星辰.前兆

    陨落星辰.前兆

    故事发生在外星人入侵地球六个月前。一批外星人舰队来到了地球,外星人想利用电磁脉冲摧毁了地球上所有的电子设备,然后消灭了地球各国的军队和主要城市。然后操控剩余的人类用来做奴隶,但是人类不向命运低头誓死守卫自己的家园,他们面对的敌人长着六只脚、獠牙和突出的颚骨。外星入侵者被称作Skitter,他们还有一支机械化部队,长着两只翅膀,能飞也能行走,可能是机器人,也可能是Skitter驾驶的交通工具。在敌人来进攻前人类顽强的抵抗着,战火!硝烟!尸体到处是,死亡弥漫着这整个星球,人类的命运彻底的被改变,唯一的选择就是与外星人进行战斗。
  • 火澜

    火澜

    当一个现代杀手之王穿越到这个世界。是隐匿,还是崛起。一场血雨腥风的传奇被她改写。一条无上的强者之路被她踏破。修斗气,炼元丹,收兽宠,化神器,大闹皇宫,炸毁学院,打死院长,秒杀狗男女,震惊大陆。无止尽的契约能力,上古神兽,千年魔兽,纷纷前来抱大腿,惊傻世人。她说:在我眼里没有好坏之分,只有强弱之分,只要你能打败我,这世间所有都是你的,打不败我,就从这世间永远消失。她狂,她傲,她的目标只有一个,就是凌驾这世间一切之上。三国皇帝,魔界妖王,冥界之主,仙界至尊。到底谁才是陪着她走到最后的那个?他说:上天入地,我会陪着你,你活着,有我,你死,也一定有我。本文一对一,男强女强,强强联手,不喜勿入。
  • 大侠成长手记

    大侠成长手记

    300年后,人类因为科技的发展向太空中发射了暗物质弹,导致暗物质降临地球,末日降临!人类遭受了前所未有的灾难,小一些的岛国都在末日浪潮的冲击下毁灭。人类更是急剧减少,在这样的环境下,人类为了生存,研制出了可以产生内力的基因药剂,从此开始了与黑暗生物的战争!而英雄与大侠便在这样的时代不断的出现!罗文,一个不得志的宅男,找个女朋友都能够被别人拐走的宅男,却意外的来到了这个世界,开始了他另外一种人生!
  • 龙吟天变

    龙吟天变

    已经灭绝物种的基因再现。不需要过多的战斗经验,只有来自生物最原始的战斗本能。内功?古武技?这一切都是挖掘人体内在潜能的一种方式。如果,人体的潜能都被开发,战斗力量的强大将会达到何种地步?请大家多多支持,多砸收藏,推荐,谢谢。
  • 痛妖娆:谁玷污了天使

    痛妖娆:谁玷污了天使

    他庄小林,一念之差,他抛弃了爱他的女人,一年后,他意外的得知那个女人竟堕落成夜总会的坐台女,而他则是最坏的推手,怀着无限的愧疚,他签约富家女,成为男装花瓶,走上了赎情之路……他莫宇颜爱上了天使般的清纯女,那个女人也爱她,却拒之于千里之外,原来天使也有一个痛苦的过去……二个敌视的男人为了心中的女人走到一起。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 朱雀神

    朱雀神

    漫天的血与骨沉浮虚空,坠落,英雄哭泣,谁能够拯救万族?!强者为王,杀戮无边,万种法在无尽生灵身上演化,锐变,最终谁能够超脱所有人,位临神道巅峰?!凶兽遍地,死灵成群,朱雀神国建立在罪土之上,镇压一切,庇护一方生灵,无人敢欺!!古青色的神国王座,摇晃,低吟,时间一瞬千年,它将为谁加冕?!!!
  • 韩剧攻略:当代韩国电视剧研究

    韩剧攻略:当代韩国电视剧研究

    本书从韩剧的历史、文化、产业、编剧、表导演、造型、音乐等诸多方面,全面系统地对韩剧的发生、发展和特点进行了客观的描述和细致的剖析。不仅关注韩剧本身的价值,也深入探讨了韩剧背后的社会成因。