The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo
page 221 of 820 (26%)
page 221 of 820 (26%)
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is a narrow border of good round a huge winding-sheet of evil. We have a
destiny of which the devil has woven the stuff and God has sewn the hem. In the meantime, you have eaten my supper, you thief!" In the meantime the infant whom he was holding all the time in his arms very tenderly whilst he was vituperating, shut its eyes languidly; a sign of repletion. Ursus examined the phial, and grumbled,-- "She has drunk it all up, the impudent creature!" He arose, and sustaining the infant with his left arm, with his right he raised the lid of the chest and drew from beneath it a bear-skin--the one he called, as will be remembered, his real skin. Whilst he was doing this he heard the other child eating, and looked at him sideways. "It will be something to do if, henceforth, I have to feed that growing glutton. It will be a worm gnawing at the vitals of my industry." He spread out, still with one arm, the bear-skin on the chest, working his elbow and managing his movements so as not to disturb the sleep into which the infant was just sinking. Then he laid her down on the fur, on the side next the fire. Having done so, he placed the phial on the stove, and exclaimed,-- "I'm thirsty, if you like!" He looked into the pot. There were a few good mouthfuls of milk left in it; he raised it to his lips. Just as he was about to drink, his eye fell on the little girl. He replaced the pot on the stove, took the |
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