Part 207 (2/2)
She pressed in her hand, small, bony, and feeble as that of a skeleton, Guelemer's huge, coa.r.s.e fingers, and continued:--
”You know well that I'm no fool. Ordinarily, I am believed. I have rendered you service on various occasions. Well, I have made inquiries; you will expose yourselves to no purpose, you see. I swear to you that there is nothing in this house.”
”There are lone women,” said Guelemer.
”No, the persons have moved away.”
”The candles haven't, anyway!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Babet.
And he pointed out to Eponine, across the tops of the trees, a light which was wandering about in the mansard roof of the pavilion. It was Toussaint, who had stayed up to spread out some linen to dry.
Eponine made a final effort.
”Well,” said she, ”they're very poor folks, and it's a hovel where there isn't a sou.”
”Go to the devil!” cried Thenardier. ”When we've turned the house upside down and put the cellar at the top and the attic below, we'll tell you what there is inside, and whether it's francs or sous or half-farthings.”
And he pushed her aside with the intention of entering.
”My good friend, Mr. Montparna.s.se,” said Eponine, ”I entreat you, you are a good fellow, don't enter.”
”Take care, you'll cut yourself,” replied Montparna.s.se.
Thenardier resumed in his decided tone:--
”Decamp, my girl, and leave men to their own affairs!”
Eponine released Montparna.s.se's hand, which she had grasped again, and said:--
”So you mean to enter this house?”
”Rather!” grinned the ventriloquist.
Then she set her back against the gate, faced the six ruffians who were armed to the teeth, and to whom the night lent the visages of demons, and said in a firm, low voice:--
”Well, I don't mean that you shall.”
They halted in amazement. The ventriloquist, however, finished his grin.
She went on:--
”Friends! Listen well. This is not what you want. Now I'm talking. In the first place, if you enter this garden, if you lay a hand on this gate, I'll scream, I'll beat on the door, I'll rouse everybody, I'll have the whole six of you seized, I'll call the police.”
”She'd do it, too,” said Thenardier in a low tone to Brujon and the ventriloquist.
She shook her head and added:--
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