It is crushing me!" cried the old man.
Madeleine raised his head, met Javert's falcon eye still fixed upon him, looked at the motionless peasants, and smiled sadly. Then, without saying a word, he fell on his knees, and before the crowd had even had time to utter a cry, he was underneath the vehicle.
A terrible moment of expectation and silence ensued.
They beheld Madeleine, almost flat on his stomach beneath that terrible weight, make two vain efforts to bring his knees and his elbows together.
They shouted to him, "Father Madeleine, come out!" Old Fauchelevent himself said to him, "Monsieur Madeleine, go away! You see that I am fated to die!
Leave me!
You will get yourself crushed also!"
Madeleine made no reply.
All the spectators were panting.
The wheels had continued to sink, and it had become almost impossible for Madeleine to make his way from under the vehicle.
Suddenly the enormous mass was seen to quiver, the cart rose slowly, the wheels half emerged from the ruts.
They heard a stifled voice crying, "Make haste!
Help!"
It was Madeleine, who had just made a final effort.
They rushed forwards.
The devotion of a single man had given force and courage to all.
The cart was raised by twenty arms. Old Fauchelevent was saved.
Madeleine rose.
He was pale, though dripping with perspiration. His clothes were torn and covered with mud.
All wept.