5. Love and Rrebellion

FOREWORD

So, what is Marius's idea? It is this... He wants to marry Cosette, but he has no money. His grandfather has money. He must ask his grandfather... But his grandfather is an old man, and old men's ideas do not change easily. He shouts at Marius, Marius shouts back, and that is the end of that. The next evening he goes as usual to the Rue Plumet. There is nobody in the garden, the house is dark, the windows are closed – Cosette and her father are gone.

Marius cannot live without Cosette. He wants to die, but Gavroche tells him that his friends need him. It is June 1832, and students and workers are running through the streets of Paris, bringing rebellion to the city, and everyone must fight the government. Marius is soon at the barricades, with a gun in his hand. He is happy. Death can come at any moment with a bullet from a soldier's gun.

These are dangerous times. Jean Valjean sees Inspector Javert in a street near the Rue Plumet. What is he doing there? Are the police watching his house? Valjean does not wait. The same night he and Cosette leave Rue Plumet. They move to 7 Rue de l'Homme-Armé, and begin to get ready for England.

How can love find a way in these troubled times?

When the soldiers attacked in front of the arsenal building, the people turned and ran, this way and that way, through the streets of the city. Marius and his friends came to the rue de la Chanvrerie and they built their barricade there. It was two metres high, made of wood and stone. Behind their barricade, the rebels waited for the soldiers. Night came, but nothing happened.

Enjolras was the leader of the students. He called Gavroche to him.

You're small,' he said. 'Nobody sees you. Go and have a look round the city, and then bring us any news.'

Just after midnight, Gavroche was back. 'The soldiers aren't moving,' he said. 'But there are a lot of them.' He stopped Suddenly and whispered, 'Hey, who's that? That tall man, over there?'

Enjolras and Marius turned to look.

I don't know him,' said Marius.

People are coming and going all night,' said Enjolras. 'Why, Gavroche? Do you know him?'

Yes,' whispered Gavroche. 'He's not one of us. He's a spy, a police spy. Name of Javert. He stopped me once, down by the river. Put me in prison all night.'

Are you certain about this, Gavroche?' said Marius.

I'm certain, all right,' said Gavroche. 'He's a spy!'

The rebels did not like spies. Four of Enjolras's men jumped on Javert, pulled him into the tavern behind the barricade, and tied him to the wall.

Do we shoot him now?' asked one of the men.

Later,' said Enjolras. 'He can wait.'

They went back outside to the barricade and listened for the sound of soldiers. Gavroche found Marius at the far end of the barricade.

Marius,' he whispered, 'on my way back here I came past your rooms and went in.'

Why?' whispered Marius.

I was hungry,' said Gavroche. 'The woman in your house is nice – she always gives me something to eat. But she had a letter for you. She gave it to me. It came two days ago, she said.'

A letter? a letter from whom?' Suddenly there was hope in Marius's heart. 'Quick – give it to me.'

The letter was from Cosette.

My dearest, Father says we must leave at once. We go tonight to 7 Rue de l'Homme-Armé, and soon to England. Oh my dear, how can I live without you? Cosette

Marius read this letter four times and then kissed it. She still loved him! He must write back to her and say his last goodbye. There was still no sound of soldiers in the street. He found some paper and a pencil.

Cosette, dearest. I came to the Rue Plumet, but you were gone already. We cannot marry. I went to my grandfather, and he said no. I have no money, and you have no money. I love you. I can never forget you. The fighting begins here very soon. When I am dead, don't be sad. Our love was beautiful. Marius

He called to Gavroche. 'I want you to take this letter to the rue de l'Homme-armé. Can you do that for me?'

Yes, but not now!' said Gavroche. 'I'm staying here for the fighting. I can shoot too, you know!'

Gavroche, you're just a boy! We don't want you to die in the fighting. Stay away from the shooting! And this letter is very important to me. It must go now. I want you to put it into Cosette's hands. Please, Gavroche.'

I want you to put this letter into Cosette's hands.'

Oh, very well,' said Gavroche. He took the letter, put it inside his shirt, and ran off into the dark.

When Valjean and Cosette left the house in Rue Plumet, Cosette was very sad. Valjean saw this, but he said nothing. In the rue de l'Homme-armé, Cosette stayed in her bedroom. Toussaint took her meals up to her.

In the night Valjean could not sleep. The city was quiet, but for how long? He went outside the house and stood in the street, listening. There were voices in the next street, and then he heard singing. A boy, singing.

Gavroche came up the street, looking at the house numbers. He saw Valjean and stopped.

Well, young man, what's the news?' said Valjean.

The news is that I'm hungry,' said Gavroche.

Valjean put his hand in his pocket and found a five-franc piece. Gavroche stared at it. He didn't see many five-franc pieces, and he was very pleased to see this one. He put it in his pocket.

You're all right,' he said. 'Do you live in this street? Do you know number seven?'

What do you want with number seven?' said Valjean.

What do you want with number seven?' said Valjean.

Letter for someone,' said Gavroche. 'A woman.'

Valjean stared at him. He felt cold. A woman. Cosette? He remembered at once the young man in the Luxembourg. He tried to smile. 'Ah, that's the letter for Cosette,' he said. 'I'm waiting for it.'

Yes, that's her. Well, here you are,' said Gavroche. 'It comes from the barricade in the rue de la Chanvrerie. I'm going back there now. Goodnight, Monsieur.'

Jean Valjean went back into the house with Marius's letter. He read it quickly... I love you. I can never forget you... So, Cosette, his dear, dear daughter, was in love. She was his world; without her, his life was nothing. He could not even think about it... When I am dead, don't be sad... Those words gave him hope. So the young man was one of the rebels at the barricade.

When the soldiers start shooting,' he thought, 'that's the end of all the rebels. I do nothing, I say nothing, I keep this letter, and poof! Nothing changes in our lives.'

But Valjean did not feel easy. He remembered all their happy years as father and daughter, and he saw again Cosette's sad eyes when they left the Rue Plumet. How could he take her away to England?

He turned and went out of the room. A little later, he left the house, wearing dark clothes and carrying a gun, and walked away down the street.

marry v. to become one's husband or wife 和……结婚

as usual in the way that happens or exists most of the time 像平常一样

at any moment something is likely to happen very soon 随时，马上

attack v. to use violence to hurt a person or damage a place 攻击

arsenal n. a building where weapons are stored 军火库

made of produced from 由……制成

spy n. someone whose job is to find out secret information 间谍；密探

jump on to attack someone Suddenly 突然袭击

tavern n. a pub where you can also stay the night （可住宿的）酒馆

tie v. to fasten things together using a piece of string etc 系，绑

shoot v. to kill or injure someone using a gun 射击；开枪

goodbye inter. used when you are leaving someone, or when they are leaving 再见

pocket n. a small bag in or on a coat, trousers etc 口袋

piece n. a coin of the value mentioned （特定面值的）硬币

easy adj. not feeling worried or anxious 安心的

5. 爱情和起义

引言

那么，马吕斯的主意是什么呢？是这样的：他想和珂赛特结婚，可是他没有钱。他的祖父有钱，他得求他祖父……可是他祖父上了年纪，老人的想法不是那么容易改变的。他冲着马吕斯叫嚷，马吕斯还以颜色，事情就这样不了了之了。第二天傍晚，他像往常一样去了卜吕梅街。花园里没有人，屋子里黑着灯，窗户都关起来了——珂赛特和她的父亲已经走了。

马吕斯没有珂赛特就活不下去。他想到了死，可是伽弗洛什告诉他，他的朋友们需要他。这时是1832年6月，学生和工人在巴黎街头奔走，在城市里发动起义，每个人都必须和政府作斗争。马吕斯很快就来到了街垒，手里拿着一把枪。他感到高兴。士兵枪支射出的子弹，随时会把他带到死神面前。

这是充满危险的时代。冉阿让在卜吕梅街附近的一条街道上看见了沙威督察。他来这里干什么？警察在监视他的房子吗？冉阿让不能再等了。他和珂赛特当天晚上就离开了卜吕梅街。他们搬到了武人街7号，开始收拾东西准备动身前往英格兰。

在这动荡不安的时代，爱情如何能找到出路？

当士兵在军火库前发起进攻时，人们掉头四散奔逃，穿过城市的大街小巷。马吕斯和他的朋友们来到了麻厂街，在这里筑起了街垒。街垒有两米高，是用木头和石块筑成的。义军藏身在街垒后面，等待士兵的进攻。夜幕降临，可是一丁点儿动静也没有。

安灼拉是学生的领袖。他把伽弗洛什叫到跟前。

“你的个子小。”他说，“没人会注意到你。你到城里转一圈，各处看看，然后给我们报个信。”

午夜刚过，伽弗洛什就回来了。“士兵们没有新的动向。”他说，“不过他们人数很多。”他突然停住话头低声道：“嘿，那个人是谁？那边那个高个子男人？”

安灼拉和马吕斯转头望去。

“我不认识他。”马吕斯说。

“整晚上都有人进进出出的。”安灼拉说，“怎么啦，伽弗洛什？你认识他？”

“是，”伽弗洛什压低声音说，“他不是我们的人。他是个密探，警局的密探。他叫沙威。有一次，他在河边把我拦了下来，把我关进牢里关了一整夜。”

“你确定吗，伽弗洛什？”马吕斯问道。

“我非常确定。”伽弗洛什答道，“他是个密探！”

义军不喜欢密探。安灼拉手下有四个人冲着沙威一拥而上，把他拖到了街垒后的酒馆里，绑在了墙上。

“我们现在就枪毙他吗？”其中一个人问道。

“等等再说。”安灼拉说，“先不着急杀他。”

他们走出酒馆，回到了街垒，留神听着士兵们的动静。伽弗洛什在街垒远远的一头找到了马吕斯。

“马吕斯，”他低声说，“我回来的路上经过你的住处，就走了进去。”

“你进去干什么？”马吕斯小声问道。

“我饿了。”伽弗洛什说，“你的房东太太人很好，她总是给我吃的。她有封信让我带给你。她把信给了我。她说，信是两天前收到的。”

“有封信？是谁写来的信？”马吕斯的心里突然闪现出一丝希望。“快——把信给我。”

信是珂赛特写来的。

我最亲爱的，爸爸说我们必须马上离开。我们今晚搬到武人街7号，然后很快就会前往英格兰。哦，亲爱的，没有你我可怎么活啊？——珂赛特

马吕斯把信读了四遍，然后又吻了一下。她还爱着他！他得马上给她回信，向她作最后的道别。街上仍然没有士兵的动静。他找了几张纸和一支铅笔。

我最亲爱的珂赛特，我赶到卜吕梅街时，你已经走了。我们结不成婚了。我去找过我的祖父，他不肯答应。我身无分文，你也是一样。我爱你。我永远也忘不了你。这里的战斗很快就要打响了。我死了以后，你不要难过。我们的爱是美好的。——马吕斯

他把伽弗洛什叫了过来。“我想请你把这封信送到武人街。你能帮我这个忙吗？”

“没问题，可是现在不行！”伽弗洛什说，“我要留在这儿战斗。你要知道，我也会开枪的！”

“伽弗洛什，你还是个孩子！我们可不希望你在战斗中牺牲。一旦开火你一定要躲开！这封信对我非常重要，一定要现在就送。请你务必把这封信交到珂赛特的手里。拜托你了，伽弗洛什。”

“哦，那好吧。”伽弗洛什说。他接过信，塞进衬衫里头，跑进了夜色之中。

冉阿让和珂赛特离开卜吕梅街的住处时，珂赛特非常难过。冉阿让看在眼里，但他什么都没有说。在武人街的住处，珂赛特呆在自己的卧室里。杜桑把一日三餐给她送上楼去。

到了晚上，冉阿让无法合眼。整座城市静悄悄的，可是这安静能持续多久呢？他走出屋子，站在街上倾听。邻街传来几个人说话的声音，接着他听到了歌声。一个男孩在唱歌。

伽弗洛什从街头走来，挨个去看门牌号码。他看到冉阿让后停下了脚步。

“嗨，小伙子，有什么消息吗？”冉阿让问。

“消息就是我肚子饿了。”伽弗洛什说。

冉阿让把手伸进口袋，掏出了一枚五法郎硬币。伽弗洛什两眼直勾勾地看着硬币。他还没见过几回五法郎的硬币呢，看到这枚硬币真有点心花怒放。他把硬币放进了自己的口袋。

“你人不错。”他说，“你住在这条街上吗？你知道7号是哪一家吗？”

“你找7号那家干什么？”冉阿让问。

“送封信给人。”伽弗洛什说，“一个女人。”

冉阿让盯着他，心里凉了半截。一个女人。珂赛特？他一下子记起了卢森堡公园里的那个小伙子。他想要挤出点笑容。“啊，这是给珂赛特的信。”他说，“我正等着这封信呢。”

“对，就是给她的。喏，给你。”伽弗洛什说，“信是从麻厂街的街垒送来的。我现在要回那儿去了。晚安，先生。”

冉阿让拿着马吕斯的信回到了屋子里。他快速地把信读了一遍……我爱你。我永远也忘不了你……这么说，他最最亲爱的女儿珂赛特恋爱了。她就是他的整个世界；没有了她，他的生活便失去了意义。他连想都不敢去想……我死了以后，你不要难过……信上的这几句话又给了他希望。这么说来，这个小伙子是在街垒战斗的义军一员。

“士兵开火之后，”他想，“这些起义的人都会死掉。我什么都不做，什么都不说，只要把这封信藏起来，噗！我们的生活还将和原来一样。”

可冉阿让并没安下心来。他想起了这些年他们父女俩相依为命的快乐时光，之后他眼前又浮现出他们离开卜吕梅街时珂赛特悲伤的眼神。他怎么能把她带到英格兰去呢？

他转身走出房间，不一会儿便出门了。他穿着深色衣服，带了一支枪，沿着街道走去。