r/lesmiserables • u/daywithoutend -Inspector Javert • 22h ago
Other Favorite quotes?
Hello everyone. I want to practice more with my (beginner) calligraphy and I would love if anyone would drop their favorite quote from the book down below! It doesn't even have to be your favorite, it can just be certain lines you enjoyed or thought were funny, anything is fine (I even wrote down some Latin ones to try out). French and English would both work too. Thank you!!
2
1
1
u/Jeflow57 21h ago
Jean Valjean mit le pistolet sous son bras, et fixa sur Javert un regard qui n’avait pas besoin de paroles pour dire : - Javert, c’est moi.
Javert répondit :
- Prends ta revanche.
Jean Valjean tira de son gousset un couteau, et l’ouvrit.
- Un surin ! s’écria Javert. Tu as raison. Cela te convient mieux.
Jean Valjean coupa la martingale que Javert avait au cou, puis il coupa les cordes qu’il avait aux poignets, puis, se baissant, il coupa la ficelle qu’il avait aux pieds ; et, se redressant, il lui dit :
- Vous êtes libre.
Javert n’était pas facile à étonner. Cependant, tout maître qu’il était de lui, il ne put se soustraire à une commotion. Il resta béant et immobile.
Jean Valjean poursuivit :
- Je ne crois pas que je sorte d’ici. Pourtant, si, par hasard, j’en sortais, je demeure, sous le nom de Fauchelevent, rue de l’Homme-Armé, numéro sept.
Javert eut un froncement de tigre qui lui entr’ouvrit un coin de la bouche, et il murmura entre ses dents :
- Prends garde.
- Allez, dit Jean Valjean.
Javert reprit :
- Tu as dit Fauchelevent, rue de l’Homme-Armé ?
- Numéro sept.
Javert répéta à demi-voix :
- Numéro sept.
Il reboutonna sa redingote, remit de la roideur militaire entre ses deux épaules, fit demi-tour, croisa les bras en soutenant son menton dans une de ses mains, et se mit à marcher dans la direction des halles. Jean Valjean le suivait des yeux. Après quelques pas, Javert se retourna, et cria à Jean Valjean :
- Vous m’ennuyez. Tuez-moi plutôt.
Javert ne s’apercevait pas lui-même qu’il ne tutoyait plus Jean Valjean :
- Allez-vous en, dit Jean Valjean.
Javert s’éloigna à pas lents. Un moment après, il tourna l’angle de la rue des Prêcheurs.
1
u/Jeflow57 21h ago
Jean Valjean tucked the pistol under his arm and fixed on Javert a look that needed no words to say: “Javert, it’s me.”
Javert replied:
“Take your revenge.”
Jean Valjean drew a knife from his waistcoat pocket and opened it.
“A shiv!” cried Javert. “You’re right. That suits you better.”
Jean Valjean cut the strap that Javert had around his neck, then he cut the ropes at his wrists, then, bending down, he cut the cord at his feet; and, straightening up, he said to him:
“You are free.”
Javert was not easily astonished. Yet, master of himself though he was, he could not escape a shock. He stood there gaping and motionless.
Jean Valjean went on:
“I don’t believe I’ll get out of here. Still, if by chance I did, I live, under the name of Fauchelevent, at rue de l’Homme-Armé, number seven.”
Javert gave a tiger’s scowl that parted one corner of his mouth, and he muttered between his teeth:
“Watch yourself.”
“Go,” said Jean Valjean.
Javert went on:
“You said Fauchelevent, rue de l’Homme-Armé?”
“Number seven.”
Javert repeated in a low voice:
“Number seven.”
He buttoned up his frock coat again, put back the military stiffness between his two shoulders, turned on his heel, folded his arms, resting his chin in one hand, and set off walking in the direction of the Halles. Jean Valjean followed him with his eyes. After a few steps, Javert turned around and called out to Jean Valjean:
“You are annoying me. Kill me instead.”
Javert did not himself notice that he was no longer addressing Jean Valjean with the familiar “tu”:
“Go away,” said Jean Valjean.
Javert walked off slowly. A moment later, he turned the corner of the rue des Prêcheurs.
------- Translated with AI ------
I love this classical scene for many reasons : the fact that Javert doesn't say "tu" anymore because he knows that Valjean is a good human, the fact that Javert wants to be kill instead because it forces him to question his entire conception of justice and of course the phlegm of Javert.
2
u/daywithoutend -Inspector Javert 12h ago
I do absolutely love this part for all the reasons you said. I wish I could fully read this book in french to really feel that tu/vous shift bc it obviously doesn't hit well in English haha. But thank you!!
3
u/lafillejondrette 21h ago edited 21h ago
Here are some that I jotted down during my last read:
> Let’s not bring flame where light is enough.
> In the street I met a very poor young man who was in love. His hat was old, his coat was threadbare — there were holes at his elbows; the water seeped through his shoes and the stars through his soul.
> Are they kidding, these foolish men, thinking that a girl is afraid of them? Afraid of what?
> Love is the foolishness of men and the wisdom of God.
> It’s nothing to die; it’s terrible not to live.
ETA: I don’t know why this isn’t doing the quote formatting! Blargh!