Cosette probably expected some explanation from him; he listened in gloomy silence.
He went back to the Rue de l’Homme Arme; he was so deeply absorbed that he mistook the door and instead of entering his own house, he entered the adjoining dwelling.
It was only after having ascended nearly two stories that he perceived his error and went down again.
His mind was swarming with conjectures.
It was evident that Marius had his doubts as to the origin of the six hundred thousand francs, that he feared some source that was not pure, who knows? that he had even, perhaps, discovered that the money came from him, Jean Valjean, that he hesitated before this suspicious fortune, and was disinclined to take it as his own,—preferring that both he and Cosette should remain poor, rather than that they should be rich with wealth that was not clean.
Moreover, Jean Valjean began vaguely to surmise that he was being shown the door.
On the following day, he underwent something like a shock on entering the ground-floor room.
The armchairs had disappeared.
There was not a single chair of any sort.
“Ah, what’s this!” exclaimed Cosette as she entered, “no chairs!
Where are the armchairs?”
“They are no longer here,” replied Jean Valjean.
“This is too much!”
Jean Valjean stammered:
“It was I who told Basque to remove them.”
“And your reason?”
“I have only a few minutes to stay to-day.”
“A brief stay is no reason for remaining standing.”
“I think that Basque needed the chairs for the drawing-room.”
“Why?”
“You have company this evening, no doubt.”
“We expect no one.”
Jean Valjean had not another word to say.
Cosette shrugged her shoulders.
“To have the chairs carried off!
The other day you had the fire put out.
How odd you are!”
“Adieu!” murmured Jean Valjean.
He did not say:
“Adieu, Cosette.” But he had not the strength to say:
“Adieu, Madame.”
He went away utterly overwhelmed.
This time he had understood.
On the following day he did not come.
Cosette only observed the fact in the evening.
“Why,” said she,
“Monsieur Jean has not been here today.”
And she felt a slight twinge at her heart, but she hardly perceived it, being immediately diverted by a kiss from Marius.
On the following day he did not come.
Cosette paid no heed to this, passed her evening and slept well that night, as usual, and thought of it only when she woke.
She was so happy!
She speedily despatched Nicolette to M. Jean’s house to inquire whether he were ill, and why he had not come on the previous evening.
Nicolette brought back the reply of M. Jean that he was not ill.
He was busy.
He would come soon.
As soon as he was able.
Moreover, he was on the point of taking a little journey.
Madame must remember that it was his custom to take trips from time to time.
They were not to worry about him.
They were not to think of him.