XXII
After the dreadful business at the police post, Javert and Victoria rode silently to her home in the hired fiacre. Victoria was amazed at how detached the inspector had remained throughout, in spite of his fury, which was only obvious to her. She kept telling herself, "It is the profession, not the man…isn't it?"
When they arrived, Javert walked her to her door. They stood silent for a short moment.
"Do you realize what might have happened?" Javert finally smouldered.
Victoria trembled. "There was no harm done…" She began.
"You might have been robbed, beaten, raped or worse!"
"But I wasn't, you see---nothing happened!" She pleaded.
"The streets of Paris are no place for a lady alone---the things I've seen--the very thought!" He continued, fairly shaking with still unaccustomed emotion.
"Stop treating me like a child!" Victoria protested, angry now.
"How else shall I treat you if that's how you behave?" Javert retorted.
"How dare you! And to think I was so worried! I couldn't wait to see you, so I went to find you---like a stupid, STUPID child!!! Well, never again, I tell you!"
Silence.
"You wish me to leave, then?" Javert seethed.
"I wish you to understand!" Victoria responded.
Javert's expression softened a little. "I will listen." He said softly, already beginning to feel sorry for giving in to his temper.
They went into the parlor and sat down on the sofa. Until then, they had been standing, arguing in the entryway.
"Oh Javert!" Victoria said, much more calmly. "I'm so sorry---I was just so…I'm…"
She blinked away tears and tried again. "Perhaps you know already. I'm desperately in love with you. There, I've said it. I hope I'm not too forward saying so, but…"
Javert gently laid a finger upon Victoria's trembling lips. "Shh." He said gently. "I do understand. Now it's important that you listen to everything I tell you,"
Victoria's eyes grew wide. She would hang on his every word.
"I should be dead now." Javert said resolutely. "Dead, and burning in Hell for all eternity. That is the end I should have come to." He paused, long enough for Victoria to want to say something, but she remained silent as he continued. "Were it not for what you did, I should certainly be no more."
Victoria was a little frightened. What was he leading to? Did he no longer want her? She shuddered.
"I have spent a good deal of time reflecting…" He revealed. "…on my future. A future that I once had no intention of surviving. Now, I see that I was wrong, and I want to live, but…" He paused, his own lips quivering. "Not without you."
Victoria looked up at him. "Do you love me, Javert?"
"Yes." He said, simply. "Yes, I do."
Sobbing, Victoria reached out and took Javert's now trembling hands. He pulled her close, and they kissed, more passionately than ever before. Both were breathless when they finally pulled away, but they lingered, holding each other for a long while before Javert trusted himself to speak again.
"When I thought what might have happened to you---Victoria, I cannot lose you. Perhaps now you understand why I reacted so…I certainly understand you better now."
"Yes." Victoria whispered. "I will never cause you such pain again, I promise."
Javert pulled the small parcel out of his coat pocket. At first Victoria thought he was going to take some snuff, although he rarely did so in her presence. She couldn't have blamed him at this point---indeed, she would surely have asked that he share. She was pleased to see that it was not his snuffbox at all, but a rather pretty silver box. Javert did not open it, but said, "Victoria, my angel. I do love you. I have never been more certain of anything else in my life. I thought I was absolutely certain of many things before---but since I've known you…Victoria---I wish to spend the rest of my life with you."
He opened the box. In it was a ring, elegant in its simplicity, bearing a single stone. Victoria gasped in delight. "Ask me, Javert!" She cried impulsively. "Oh, do ask me!"
"Marry me?" He asked.
"Oh yes!" Victoria cried. "Upon my word, I thought I would have to ask you!"
He gently slipped the ring onto her delicate finger. It was a perfect fit. Javert's talent for observation had richly paid off. "I shan't ever take it off!" Victoria declared, holding her hand out so they could admire it.
"I love you, Javert!"
They kissed again, deeply passionate, but they somehow managed to remain chaste for the rest of the night.
They saw no need for Javert to return to his flat that night, except perhaps, for appearance's sake.
As for the two of them, neither one cared what anybody else thought. They were in love, and that was enough.
XXI
XXIII
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