rough the sewer.
Who? Where did he get out? Was he seen to come out? The police are full
of cleverness. The sewer is treacherous and tells tales of you. Such a
find is a rarity, it attracts attention, very few people make use of
the sewers for their affairs, while the river belongs to everybody. The
river is the true grave. At the end of a month they fish up your man
in the nets at Saint-Cloud. Well, what does one care for that? It's
carrion! Who killed that man? Paris. And justice makes no inquiries. You
have done well."

The more loquacious Thenardier became, the more mute was Jean Valjean.

Again Thenardier shook him by the shoulder.

"Now let's settle this business. Let's go shares. You have seen my key,
show me your money."

Thenardier was haggard, fierce, suspicious, rather menacing, yet
amicable.

There was one singular circumstance; Thenardier's manners were not
simple; he had not the air of being wholly at his ease; while affecting
an air of mystery, he spoke low; from time to time he laid his finger on
his mouth, and muttered, "hush!" It was difficult to divine why. There
was no one there except themselves. Jean Valjean thought that other
ruffians might possibly be concealed in some nook, not very far off, and
that Thenardier did not care to share with them.

Thenardier resumed:

"Let's settle up. How much did the stiff have in his bags?"

Jean Valjean searched his pockets.

It was his habit, as the reader will remember, to always have some
money about him. The mournful life of expedients to which he had been
condemned imposed this as a law upon him. On this occasion, however,
he had been caught unprepared. When donning his uniform of a National
Guardsman on the preceding evening, he had forgotten, dolefully absorbed
as he was, to take his pocket-book. He had only some small change in his
fob. He turned out his pocket, all soaked with ooze, and spread out on
the banquette of the vault one louis d'or, two five-franc pieces, and
five or six large sous.

Thenardier thrust out his lower lip with a significant twist of the
neck.

"You knocked him over cheap," said he.

He set to feeling the pockets of Jean Valjean and Marius, with the
greatest familiarity. Jean Valjean, who was chiefly concerned in keeping
his back to the light, let him have his way.

While handling Marius' coat, Thenardier, with the skill of a pickpocket,
and without being noticed by Jean Valjean, tore off a strip which he
concea