"Your room is still all ready in our house," she went on. "If you only knew how pretty the garden is just at present! The azaleas are getting on splendidly; the walks are covered with river sand, and there are little violet shells. You shall eat my strawberries, for it is I who water them. And no more Madame and no more Monsieur Jean, for we live in a republic, do we not, Marius? The programme is changed. If you only knew, father, what a sorrow I had; a redbreast had made its nest in a hole in the wall, and a horrible cat killed it for me. My poor, pretty little redbreast, that used to thrust its head out of its window and look at me! I cried at it, and could have killed the cat! But now, nobody weeps, everybody laughs, everybody is happy. You will come with us; how pleased grandfather will be! You will have your bed in the garden, you will cultivate it, and we will see whether your strawberries are as fine as mine. And then, I will do all you wish, and you will obey me." Jean Valjean listened without hearing; he heard the music of her voice rather than the meaning of her words, and one of those heavy tears, which are the black pearls of the soul, slowly collected in his eye. He murmured,-- "The proof that God is good is that she is here." "My father!" said Cosette. Jean Valjean continued,-- "It is true it would be charming to live together. They have their trees full of birds, and I should walk about with Cosette. It is sweet to be with persons who live, who say to each other good-morning, and call each other in the garden. We should each cultivate a little bed; she would give me her strawberries to eat, and I would let her pick my roses. It would be delicious, but--" He broke off, and said gently, "It is a pity!" The tear did not fall, it was recalled, and Jean Valjean substituted a smile for it. Cosette took both the old man's hands in hers. "Good Heaven!" she said, "your hands have grown colder. Can you be ill? Are you suffering?" "I--no," Jean Valjean replied, "I am quite well. It is only--" He stopped. "Only what?" "I am going to die directly." Marius and Cosette shuddered. "Die!" Marius exclaimed. "Yes; but that is nothing," said Jean Valjean. He breathed, smiled, and added,-- "Cosette, you were talking to me; go on, speak again. Your redbreast is dead, then? Speak, that I may hear your voice." Marius, who was petrified, looked at the old man, and Cosette uttered a piercing shriek. "Father, father, you will live! You are going to live. I insist on your living, do you hear?" Jean Valjean raised his head to her with adoration. "Oh, yes, forbid me dying. Who knows? Perhaps I shall obey. I was on the road to death when you arrived, but that stopped me. I fancied I was coming to life again."