Little Gavroche was one of these. He had
been dispatched into life with a kick and had simply taken flight. The
pavements were less hard to him than his mother's heart.
One evening, little Gavroche was skipping along an alley, hands in his
pockets and singing merrily, when he came upon a young man who had a
wild, happy look in his eye, but no hat on his head.
"Whoa there, monsieur, where's your roof? You've got enough light in
them blinkers of yours to light up my apartments--say, monsieur, you're
either crazy or you've had an awful good time!"
"Be off with you, imp."
"Say, did you know there wus a goin' ter be war in this town in a few
days and I'm goin' to enlist as general of the
army--Forward--March--Say, monsieur, I believe I know you, yes, sir,
I've seen you down in that Napoleon meetin' way down there in that
cellar--"
"Oh, be off with you, imp!"
"Yes, sir, I'm goin' now. Sorry I can't walk with you further, but
business calls me in the other direction.
"Good evenin', monsieur--Watch out there. Can't ye see where yer goin'?
Little more an' ye'd been eatin' the dandelions! Good evenin',
monsieur!"
A little further down the street, Gavroche was standing scrutinizing a
shop window, when two little children came up to him crying.
Pages:
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531