Grant it five hours more of existence, it sees and
understands whatnight is.
This caste interest blinded their eyes to thehorror
of condemning a man to death. Julien repeated to himself with despairin his heart,
when at length he was alone. To complete his painful sensation, that morning he felt
a keen remorseat not loving his father.
I am too closely guarded for Mathilde to be able to
effect myescape, like Madame de Lavalette . Her grief was genuine, Julien saw this
and was all the more irritated. The lawyer, to make you sign your appeal. The bad
air of the cell became insupportable to Julien. Then the tender hearts would have
ameeting-place in this world .
His mind ran swiftly over all the possible ways of
escape.
None ofthe women had left their seats; several of
the men had tears in theireyes.
Grant it five hours more of existence, it sees and
understands whatnight is. It is true only in appearance, replied Julien. And why be
a hypocrite still when I am cursing hypocrisy? Theaccuser whom society sets at my
heels has been made rich by ascandalous injustice . He stepped backfrom her, and
covered her hand with burning kisses.
This unexpected obstinacy awoke all the latent
pride in Mathildesnature.
Croisenois is weak enough to marry her, and,
ifaith, he will do well for himself. Mathilde kept on saying to him in a faint
voice: He is there, in thenext room. I have a mission from on high; it is I that am
tosave the soul of young Sorel. To speak so is to command me, she said with a timid
and melancholysmile.
At length he began to pay attention to her
words.
And what shall I have left, replied Julien coldly,
if I despisemyself? This unexpected obstinacy awoke all the latent pride in
Mathildesnature. There, all iswell, he said to himself, I am not lacking in courage.
And he continued his reasoning aloud, without a thought ofthe turnkeys presence. I
have caught you at the samegame, Father, play-acting like any missionary
Let us be happy throughout the few remaining days
of this brief life.