Victor Hugo - The Man Who Laughs - Cosmopolitan University 2

He put the ends of his fingers to his lips, and sent her an unutterable
kiss.
Ursus, relieved of some portion of his terror now that the wapentake's
back was turned, seized the moment to whisper in Gwynplaine's ear,--
"On your life, do not speak until you are questioned."
Gwynplaine, with the same care to make no noise as he would have taken
in a sickroom, took his hat and cloak from the hook on the partition,
wrapped himself up to the eyes in the cloak, and pushed his hat over his
forehead. Not having been to bed, he had his working clothes still on,
and his leather esclavin round his neck. Once more he looked at Dea.
Having reached the door, the wapentake raised his staff and began to
descend the steps; then Gwynplaine set out as if the man was dragging
him by an invisible chain. Ursus watched Gwynplaine leave the Green Box.
At that moment the wolf gave a low growl; but Ursus silenced him, and
whispered, "He is coming back."
In the yard, Master Nicless was stemming, with servile and imperious
gestures, the cries of terror raised by Vinos and Fibi, as in great
distress they watched Gwynplaine led away, and the mourning-coloured
garb and the iron staff of the wapentake.
The two girls were like petrifactions: they were in the attitude of
stalactites. Govicum, stunned, was looking open-mouthed out of a window.
The wapentake preceded Gwynplaine by a few steps, never turning round or
looking at him, in that icy ease which is given by the knowledge that
one is the law.
In death-like silence they both crossed the yard, went through the dark
taproom, and reached the street. A few passers-by had collected about
the inn door, and the justice of the quorum was there at the head of a
squad of police. The idlers, stupefied, and without breathing a word,
opened out and stood aside, with English discipline, at the sight of the
constable's staff. The wapentake moved off in the direction of the
narrow street then called the Little Strand, running by the Thames; and
Gwynplaine, with the justice of the quorum's men in ranks on each side,
like a double hedge, pale, without a motion except that of his steps,
wrapped in his cloak as in a shroud, was leaving the inn farther and
farther behind him as he followed the silent man, like a statue
following a spectre.
CHAPTER III.
LEX, REX, FEX.
Unexplained arrest, which would greatly astonish an Englishman nowadays,
was then a very usual proceeding of the police. Recourse was had to it,
notwithstanding the Habeas Corpus Act, up to George II.'s time,
especially in such delicate cases as were provided for by _lettres de
cachet_ in France; and one of the accusations against which Walpole had