The only remark approaching a criticism, that could be made, was, that the contradiction between her gaze, which was melancholy, and her smile, which was merry, gave a rather wild effect to her face, which sometimes caused this sweet countenance to become strange without ceasing to be charming.
BOOK SIXTH.--THE CONJUNCTION OF TWO STARS
CHAPTER VI
TAKEN PRISONER
On one of the last days of the second week, Marius was seated on his bench, as usual, holding in his hand an open book, of which he had not turned a page for the last two hours.
All at once he started. An event was taking place at the other extremity of the walk. Leblanc and his daughter had just left their seat, and the daughter had taken her father''s arm, and both were advancing slowly, towards the middle of the alley where Marius was.
Marius closed his book, then opened it again, then forced himself to read; he trembled; the aureole was coming straight towards him.
"Ah! good Heavens!" thought he, "I shall not have time to strike an attitude." Still the white-haired man and the girl advanced.
It seemed to him that this lasted for a century, and that it was but a second. "What are they coming in this direction for?" he asked himself. "What!
She will pass here?
Her feet will tread this sand, this walk, two paces from me?"