目 录 上一节 下一节 
有一天冉阿让下楼，在街上走了两三步后，在一块界石上坐了下来。六月五日至六日的那天晚上，伽弗洛什就是看到他坐在这块石块上沉思的；他在这儿待了几分钟，又上楼去了。这是钟摆最后的摇晃。第二天他没出房门。第三天，他没下床。 His portress, who prepared his scanty repasts, a few cabbages or potatoes with bacon, glanced at the brown earthenware plate and exclaimed: "But you ate nothing yesterday, poor, dear man!" 他的门房，替他做简单的饭菜，一点蔬菜或几个土豆加点猪油，她看看棕色的陶土盘叫道：“怎么您昨天没有吃东西，可怜的好人！” "Certainly I did," replied Jean Valjean. “吃了。”冉阿让回答。 "The plate is quite full." 碟子是满的。” "Look at the water jug. It is empty." “您看那水罐，它空了。” 
“这说明您只喝了水，这并不等于吃了饭。” "Well," said Jean Valjean, "what if I felt hungry only for water?" 冉阿让说：“我要是只想喝水呢？” "That is called thirst, and, when one does not eat at the same time, it is called fever." “这叫做口渴，如果不同时进餐，这就叫发烧。” "I will eat to-morrow." “我明天吃。” "Or at Trinity day. Why not to-day? Is it the thing to say: I will eat to-morrow'? The idea of leaving my platter without even touching it! My ladyfinger potatoes were so good!" “或者在圣三节吃。为什么今天不吃呢？难道有这种说法：‘我明天吃！’把我做的菜整盘都剩下！我烧的白菜味道好着呢！” 
冉阿让握着老妇人的手： "I promise you that I will eat them," he said, in his benevolent voice. “我答应您吃掉它。”他用和善的语气对她说。 "I am not pleased with you," replied the portress. “我对您很不满意。”看门的回答。 Jean Valjean saw no other human creature than this good woman. There are streets in Paris through which no one ever passes, and houses to which no one ever comes. He was in one of those streets and one of those houses. 冉阿让除了这个妇人之外，很少见到其他人。巴黎有些无人走过的街道和无人进去的房屋。他住的就是这样的街道和这样的房屋。 While he still went out, he had purchased of a coppersmith, for a few sous, a little copper crucifix which he had hung up on a nail opposite his bed. That gibbet is always good to look at. 当他还能上街时，他从锅匠那儿用几个苏买到一个小的铜十字架，挂在床前钉子上。望着这个绞刑架总是有益的。 
一个星期过去了，冉阿让没有在房里走动一步。他老是躺着。看门的对她丈夫说：“上面的老人不起床了，也不吃东西，他活不多久了。他很难过。我非常相信他的女儿一定嫁得不好。” The porter replied, with the tone of marital sovereignty: 看门的男人用丈夫的权威口气回答说： "If he's rich, let him have a doctor. If he is not rich, let him go without. If he has no doctor he will die." “要是他有钱，就该请医生来看看。如果没钱，他就没有医生。如果没有医生，他就得死去。” "And if he has one?" “如果他有一个呢？” "He will die," said the porter. “他也会死的。”看门的男人说。 
看门的女人用一把旧刀，把门前被她称作是她的铺路石石缝里长出的青草除去，一边除一边嘟囔着： "It's a shame. Such a neat old man! He's as white as a chicken." “可怜，一个这样正直的老人！他清白得象子鸡一样。” She caught sight of the doctor of the quarter as he passed the end of the street; she took it upon herself to request him to come up stairs. 她看见街末一个本区的医生走过，就自作主张请他上楼。 "It's on the second floor," said she. "You have only to enter. As the good man no longer stirs from his bed, the door is always unlocked." “在三楼，”她向他说，“您进去好了。那老人睡在床上不能动了，钥匙一直插在门上锁眼里。” The doctor saw Jean Valjean and spoke with him. 医生看了冉阿让，并和他说了话。 
当他下楼后，看门的女人问他： "Well, doctor?" “怎么样，医生？” "Your sick man is very ill indeed." “您的病人病得厉害。” "What is the matter with him?" “是什么病？” "Everything and nothing. He is a man who, to all appearances, has lost some person who is dear to him. People die of that." “什么病都有，但又没有病。看来这人失去了一个亲人，这会送命的。” 
“他对您说些什么？” "He told me that he was in good health." “他说他身体很好。” "Shall you come again, doctor?" “您还来吗，医生？” "Yes," replied the doctor. "But some one else besides must come." “来，”医生回答，“但需要另一个人回来。” | 
