Les Miserables Read Online Free PDF Page B

fine bird!”
    He started to pace the room.
    â€œYou don’t know me, eh?” he said. “It wasn’t you who came to my inn in Montfermeil ten years ago and took Fantine’s brat from me? So you don’t know me! Well, I know you, all right.
    â€œI knew you the minute you shoved yournoble face inside my door,” he raged. “You’ll not get away from me, my generous millionaire.
    â€œIt isn’t smart to take a man’s servant,” he continued. “I’ll teach you not to threaten me with a heavy stick. You were the strong one that day. Today it’s my turn. I hold the cards now. And you’re done for, my beauty!”
    Thénardier stopped. He was out of breath.
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. “I’m a poor man. I don’t know you. You’re confusing me with someone else.”
    â€œHave you anything to say before we go to work on you?” he replied.
    I said nothing. What was the point?
    The big man with the axe took his mask off. “If there’s any chopping to be done, I’m your man!” he said.
    Thénardier shouted at the man forshowing his face. In that instant, I ran for the window.
    I was nearly out, but three men lunged at me. Six hands pulled me back inside.
    I knocked down two of the men. But two more took their place. I was buried under a flood of fists.
    â€œDon’t hurt him!” shouted Thénardier. “I want to talk to this gentleman.”
    I was shoved into a chair.
    â€œI find it strange,” began Thénardier. “You haven’t shouted for help once. Not even with the window open. I wonder. Are you as afraid of calling down the law as we are?”
    I said nothing.
    â€œWe can help each other,” continued Thénardier. “I’m not a bloodsucker. All I want is two hundred thousand francs. You don’t have it with you. But you can write your daughter for it.”
    He turned to get paper and pen. Ilunged for the fireplace and grabbed the red-hot poker. I faced the room.
    â€œYou’re a poor lot,” I cried. “My own life is not worth much. You can do what you want with me. Look!”
    I pulled up my left sleeve. I pressed the poker to my bare skin. There was a hiss of burning flesh.
    â€œPoor fools,” I said. “I don’t fear you.” I threw the poker through the open window.
    â€œDo what you like with me,” I said.
    â€œSlit his throat!” cried one man.
    Thénardier liked the idea. He picked up a knife from the table and started toward me.

Escape to Rue Plumet
    Thénardier was almost upon me when suddenly his wife cried out, “Look at this!”
    She handed him a balled-up piece of paper.
    â€œHow did this get here?” asked Thénardier.
    â€œThrough the open window,” replied his wife.
    â€œThat’s right,” said one of the men. “I saw it go by.”
    Thénardier unfolded the note. He read it by candlelight.
    â€œIt’s Eponine’s handwriting, by God!” he exclaimed. “Our daughter writes, ‘The police are here!’ We better clear out! We’ll leave the mouse in its trap.”
    But the mouse had dashed. I slipped through the window while everyone was busy with the note. I disappeared just as Javert opened the front door.
    Thénardier and his gang were caught in their own trap!
    Later I would learn how Marius saved my life. He had gone to the police that afternoon after overhearing Thénardier bragging to his wife about the trap he had set for me. And, amazingly, Eponine had printed the note for him that very morning, to prove that she could write!
    When it looked as though Thénardier was going to kill me, Marius tossed the note through the hole.
    I ran to my house on Rue Plumet. The house was protected by a stone wall. Cosette and the housekeeper lived there. I lived in a small cottage in the garden.
    The next day I was sick with