The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-01-14

nanus, the lanQlady continued, "ner
frightful hands," Here Cosette cried
aloud.
will you be quiet?" her mistress
yelled.
The man went straight to the street
door. opened it, and walked out; the
landlady took advantage of his absence to
give Cosette a kick under the table, which
made her scream. The door opened again,
and the man reappeared, carrying in his
arm that wonderful doll, which all the
children in the village had been admiring
all day. He placed it on its feet before
Cosette, saying:
Here, this is for YOU"
COsette raised her eyes; she had looked
at the man coming toward her with the
doll as if she were in a dream: she heard
the words ut is for vou." She looked at
him, looked at the doll, then drew back
slowly and hid herself under the table.
She did not cry, she did not speak, but
looked as if she hardly dared to breathe.
The landlady, Eponine and Azelma were
like so many statues the men themselves
had stopped singing, and there was a
solemn silence in the room. The mistress,
dumb with establishment, began studying
in her mind again.
"Who is this man? Is he poor or is he a
millionaire
The landlord looked in turn at the doll
and the traveller: he seemed to be shifting
around the man, as he would have done
by & money-bag. This only lasted for a
second; then ne wen up to his wife and
whispered:
That machine OF a doll costs at least
thirty francs. No nonsense Dow!"
"Well Cosette," the landlady said, in a
voice which was gentle, why don't you
take VOur dOll9p
Cosette ventured to crawl out from
under the table.
"Mv little Cosette." her mistress con-
tinued fawningly, this gentleman gives
you the doll. so take ii, it is YOURS"
COsette gazed at the beautiful doll with
a sort OF terror: her face was still bathed
in tears, but her eyes were beginning to
fill with strange rays of Joy. What she
felt at this moment was something like
she would have experienced il some one
had suddenly said to her: Little girl, you
are queen OF France" 1t seemed to her
if she touched this doll that thunder
would certainly issue from it and this was
true to a certain extent, for she said to
herself that her mistress would scold and
beat her after the traveller was gone.
Still, the attraction gained the victory, she
at length crawled up TO the doll and MUIR
INJURED timidly as she turned to the land
lady:
"May l, madame?"
"Of course" said her mistress, "since
this gentleman gives it to YOU"
as it true, sir?" Cosette continued, rs
the lady really mine?"
The strangers eyes were full of tears
but he nodded to Cosette, and placed the
'lady's" little hand in hers. Cosette
quickly drew back her hand as though
she were burnt and looked down at the
brick flour; all at nee she turned and
passionately seized the doll:
81 will call her Catherine" she said.
1t was a strange sight to see Cosette in
her rags holding the doll, robed in fresh
muslins and ribbons.
MAY | put her in a chair, madame? p
she continued.
YES. my child" her mistress an
swered.
1t was now the turn OF Eponine and
Azelmato look with envy at Cosette. She
placed Catherine IN a chair, and then sat
down OF the floor before her; she sat mo-
t%ionless and without saving a word.
play, Cosette,' the stranger said.
ooh, l am playing" the child an
swered.
At this moment the person whom
Madame Thenardier hated most in this
world was this unknown man, this stran-
ger who seemed to have been sent by
Providence to be kind to Cosette. She
was very angry, and did not dare to show
it for fear of her husband, so she FASTENED
to send her children to bed. and then
asked the travellers leave to send off
Cosette, "who had been very tired during
the day." she added, with a motherly air.
Cosette went off to bed carrying Cath
crime in her arms. The landlady went
from time to time to the other end of the
| room TO where her husband was, to relieve
her mind. She thought it made her feel
better to say to her husband what she
thought of this stranger, because she
dared not to say it to him, 'Old FOOL
What plan has he got in his head to
come and disturb us in this way! to
wish that little monster Cosette TO playi
to give her dolls, dolls worth forty francs!
he'll be speaking to her as your majesty
next, l suppose! Can he be in his senses?"
The man was resting his elbow on the
table, and had resumed his thoughtful
look the other travellers, pedlers and car
riers had gone away or had left off sing
ing. They regarded him from a dist ance
with a sort of respectful fear this poorly
dressed man who drew gold pieces from
his pocket with such ease, and gave such
gigantic dolls to little ragged girls, must
be a great and wealthy man. From time
to time he changed the elbow on which
he was leaning, that was all it was past
midnight but he had not spoken a word
since Cosette had left the ROOM.
When the clock struck two the land
lady said to her husband, "Is he going
to stay up all night | wonder? You can
do as you like, but I'm not going to wait
any longer! The mysterious old fellow
must be crazy" Before she finally left
the room she came back to say: d you
know that l mean to turn Cosette out to-
morrow"
Thenardier coldly answered: "How you
do 90 on"
After another hour had passed the land
lord came up TO where the stranger was
still sitting in the same position and VEN
tured to say: "Do you not wish for repose,
sir?"
why, you are right" said the stranger,
"where is your stable?"
81 will show you the way, sir" Thenar-
der replied with a smile.
He took the candle; the man brought
his stick and bundle, and Thenardier led
him to a room on the first floor, which
was very luxurious, with its mahogany
furniture, and the bed with red cotton
curtains.
What is this 2" the traveller asked.
ScTAa haz@ AnD -, tho ka,,en onI - -