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and gazed at him in an attitude of menace and almost of bat。
〃She is dying;〃 said Jondrette。
〃But what do you expect; sir! She has so much courage; that woman has!
She's not a woman; she's an ox。〃
The Jondrette; touched by his pliment; deprecated it with the affected airs of a flattered monster。
〃You are always too good to me; Monsieur Jondrette!〃
〃Jondrette!〃 said M。 Leblanc; 〃I thought your name was Fabantou?〃
〃Fabantou; alias Jondrette!〃 replied the husband hurriedly。 〃An artistic sobriquet!〃
And launching at his wife a shrug of the shoulders which M。 Leblanc did not catch; he continued with an emphatic and caressing inflection of voice:
〃Ah! we have had a happy life together; this poor darling and I! What would there be left for us if we had not that?
We are so wretched; my respectable sir!
We have arms; but there is no work!
We have the will; no work!
I don't know how the government arranges that; but; on my word of honor; sir; I am not Jacobin; sir; I am not a bousingot。'30' I don't wish them any evil; but if I were the ministers; on my most sacred word; things would be different。
Here; for instance; I wanted to have my girls taught the trade of paper…box makers。 You will say to me:
‘What! a trade?'
Yes!
A trade!
A simple trade! A bread…winner! What a fall; my benefactor!
What a degradation; when one has been what we have been!
Alas!
There is nothing left to us of our days of prosperity!
One thing only; a picture; of which I think a great deal; but which I am willing to part with; for I must live!
Item; one must live!〃
'30' A democrat。
While Jondrette thus talked; with an apparent incoherence which detracted nothing from the thoughtful and sagacious expression of his physiognomy; Marius raised his eyes; and perceived at the other end of the room a person whom he had not seen before。 A man had just entered; so softly that the door had not been heard to turn on its hinges。
This man wore a violet knitted vest; which was old; worn; spotted; cut and gaping at every fold; wide trousers of cotton velvet; wooden shoes on his feet; no shirt; had his neck bare; his bare arms tattooed; and his face smeared with black。
He had seated himself in silence on the nearest bed; and; as he was behind Jondrette; he could only be indistinctly seen。
That sort of magnetic instinct which turns aside the gaze; caused M。 Leblanc to turn round almost at the same moment as Marius。 He could not refrain from a gesture of surprise which did not escape Jondrette。
〃Ah!
I see!〃 exclaimed Jondrette; buttoning up his coat with an air of plaisance; 〃you are looking at your overcoat?
It fits me! My faith; but it fits me!〃
〃Who is that man?〃 said M。 Leblanc。
〃Him?〃 ejaculated Jondrette; 〃he's a neighbor of mine。
Don't pay any attention to him。〃
The neighbor was a singular…looking individual。
However; manufactories of chemical products abound in the Faubourg Saint…Marceau。 Many of the workmen might have black faces。
Besides this; M。 Leblanc's whole person was expressive of candid and intrepid confidence。
He went on:
〃Excuse me; what were you saying; M。 Fabantou?〃
〃I was telling you; sir; and dear protector;〃 replied Jondrette placing his elbows on the table and contemplating M。 Leblanc with steady and tender eyes; not unlike the eyes of the boa…constrictor; 〃I was telling you; that I have a picture to sell。〃
A slight sound came from the door。
A second man had just entered and seated himself on the bed; behind Jondrette。
Like the first; his arms were bare; and he had a mask of ink or lampblack。
Although this man had; literally; glided into the room; he had not been able to prevent M。 Leblanc catching sight of him。
〃Don't mind them;〃 said Jondrette; 〃they are people who belong in the house。
So I was saying; that there remains in my possession a valuable picture。
But stop; sir; take a look at it。〃
He rose; went to the wall at the foot of which stood the panel which we have already mentioned; and turned it round; still leaving it supported against the wall。
It really was something which resembled a picture; and which the candle illuminated; somewhat。
Marius could make nothing out of it; as Jondrette stood between the picture and him; he only saw a coarse daub; and a sort of principal personage colored with the harsh crudity of foreign canvasses and screen paintings。
〃What is that?〃 asked M。 Leblanc。
Jondrette exclaimed:
〃A painting by a master; a picture of great value; my benefactor! I am as much attached to it as I am to my two daughters; it recalls souvenirs to me!
But I have told you; and I will not take it back; that I am so wretched that I will part with it。〃
Either by chance; or because he had begun to feel a dawning uneasiness; M。 Leblanc's glance returned to the bottom of the room as he examined the picture。
There were now four men; three seated on the bed; one standing near the door…post; all four with bare arms and motionless; with faces smeared with black。
One of those on the bed was leaning against the wall; with closed eyes; and it might have been supposed that he was asleep。 He was old; his white hair contrasting with his blackened face produced a horrible effect。
The other two seemed to be young; one wore a beard; the other wore his hair long。
None of them had on shoes; those who did not wear socks were barefooted。
Jondrette noticed that M。 Leblanc's eye was fixed on these men。
〃They are friends。
They are neighbors;〃 said he。
〃Their faces are black because they work in charcoal。
They are chimney…builders。 Don't trouble yourself about them; my benefactor; but buy my picture。 Have pity on my misery。
I will not ask you much for it。
How much do you think it is worth?〃
〃Well;〃 said M。 Leblanc; looking Jondrette full in the eye; and with the manner of a man who is on his guard; 〃it is some signboard for a tavern; and is worth about three francs。〃
Jondrette replied sweetly:
〃Have you your pocket…book with you?
I