Victor Hugo

Name: Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third, Chapter 9
Author: Victor Hugo

Summary

“Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third, Chapter 9”, is a work by Victor Hugo. It explores elements such as Thenardier, Cosette and stranger.

Quotes from Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third… (Victor Hugo)

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ Cosette was going away. With whom? She did not know. Whither? She knew not. All that she understood was that she was leaving the Thenardier tavern behind her. No one had thought of bidding her farewell, nor had she thought of taking leave of any one. She was leaving that hated and hating house.
Poor, gentle creature, whose heart had been repressed up to that hour!
Cosette walked along gravely, with her large eyes wide open, and gazing at the sky. She had put her louis in the pocket of her new apron. From time to time, she bent down and glanced at it; then she looked at the good man. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ Even before the stranger had so clearly manifested his interest in Cosette, Thenardier had divined his purpose. He had caught the old man's deep glances returning constantly to the child. Who was this man? Why this interest? Why this hideous costume, when he had so much money in his purse? Questions which he put to himself without being able to solve them, and which irritated him. He had pondered it all night long. He could not be Cosette's father. Was he her grandfather? Then why not make himself known at once? When one has a right, one asserts it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ As soon as they were alone, Thenardier offered the traveller a chair. The traveller seated himself; Thenardier remained standing, and his face assumed a singular expression of good-fellowship and simplicity.
"Sir," said he, "what I have to say to you is this, that I adore that child."
The stranger gazed intently at him.
"What child?"
Thenardier continued:--
"How strange it is, one grows attached. What money is that? Take back your hundred-sou piece. I adore the child."
"Whom do you mean?" demanded the stranger.
"Eh! our little Cosette! Are you not intending to take her away from us? ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ If I take Cosette away, I shall take her away, and that is the end of the matter. You will not know my name, you will not know my residence, you will not know where she is; and my intention is that she shall never set eyes on you again so long as she lives. I break the thread which binds her foot, and she departs. Does that suit you? Yes or no?"
Since geniuses, like demons, recognize the presence of a superior God by certain signs, Thenardier comprehended that he had to deal with a very strong person. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ The yellow man carried his bundle and his cudgel in his hand.
"Up so early?" said Madame Thenardier; "is Monsieur leaving us already?"
As she spoke thus, she was twisting the bill about in her hands with an embarrassed air, and making creases in it with her nails. Her hard face presented a shade which was not habitual with it,-- timidity and scruples.
To present such a bill to a man who had so completely the air "of a poor wretch" seemed difficult to her.
The traveller appeared to be preoccupied and absent-minded. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ Cosette--the Lark, as she is called hereabouts!"
"Ah!" said the man.
She went on:--
"How stupid these peasants are with their nicknames! She has more the air of a bat than of a lark. You see, sir, we do not ask charity, and we cannot bestow it. We earn nothing and we have to pay out a great deal. The license, the imposts, the door and window tax, the hundredths! Monsieur is aware that the government demands a terrible deal of money. And then, I have my daughters. I have no need to bring up other people's children." ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ You understand, one conceives an affection for a person; I am a good sort of a beast, I am; I do not reason; I love that little girl; my wife is quick-tempered, but she loves her also. You see, she is just the same as our own child. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Victor Hugo, Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third…

“ It is true that she costs us money; it is true that she has her faults; it is true that we are not rich; it is true that I have paid out over four hundred francs for drugs for just one of her illnesses! ”

Victor Hugo

Summary

Quotes from Les Misérables — Volume 2, Book Third… (Victor Hugo)

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