ng two old men, if we are two old fools!
But, in the first place, how did he manage to enter the convent?
That was the beginning of it all. One should not do such things.
Father Madeleine!
Father Madeleine! Father Madeleine!
Madeleine!
Monsieur Madeleine!
Monsieur le Maire! He does not hear me.
Now get out of this scrape if you can!"
And he tore his hair.
A grating sound became audible through the trees in the distance. It was the cemetery gate closing.
Fauchelevent bent over Jean Valjean, and all at once he bounded back and recoiled so far as the limits of a grave permit.
Jean Valjean''s eyes were open and gazing at him.
To see a corpse is alarming, to behold a resurrection is almost as much so.
Fauchelevent became like stone, pale, haggard, overwhelmed by all these excesses of emotion, not knowing whether he had to do with a living man or a dead one, and staring at Jean Valjean, who was gazing at him.
"I fell asleep," said Jean Valjean.
And he raised himself to a sitting posture.
Fauchelevent fell on his knees.
"Just, good Virgin!
How you frightened me!"
Then he sprang to his feet and cried:--
"Thanks, Father Madeleine!"
Jean Valjean had merely fainted.
The fresh air had revived him.
Joy is the ebb of terror.
Fauchelevent found almost as much difficulty in recovering himself as Jean Valjean had.