She catches his hand up again, and clasps it tightly between her own. She's been leaning gratefully into Marius's embrace, but now she bends over her father again.

"Papa -- papa, you mustn't distress yourself! Be easy. You are my dear father, I love you. Your poor hand! Be easy. You need not suffer anything more. I know, I know now, you hid away from me, but you needn't, truly you needn't. Not from your dear little Cosette. You must live with us and be happy."

And she kisses his worn old hand, the one without a strange tube in it, and presses it to her soft wet cheek.