第22章

Itisnotverynear。"

"Iwillremainconcealedinyourtool—closetallnightandallthemorning。Andhowaboutfood？Ishallbehungry。"

"Iwillbringyousomething。"

"Youcancomeandnailmeupinthecoffinattwoo’clock。"

Faucheleventrecoiledandcrackedhisfinger—joints。

"Butthatisimpossible！"

"Bah！Impossibletotakeahammeranddrivesomenailsinaplank？"

WhatseemedunprecedentedtoFaucheleventwas，werepeat，asimplemattertoJeanValjean。JeanValjeanhadbeeninworsestraitsthanthis。Anymanwhohasbeenaprisonerunderstandshowtocontracthimselftofitthediameteroftheescape。

Theprisonerissubjecttoflightasthesickmanissubjecttoacrisiswhichsavesorkillshim。Anescapeisacure。

Whatdoesnotamanundergoforthesakeofacure？Tohavehimselfnailedupinacaseandcarriedofflikeabaleofgoods，toliveforalongtimeinabox，tofindairwherethereisnone，toeconomizehisbreathforhours，toknowhowtostiflewithoutdying——

thiswasoneofJeanValjean’sgloomytalents。

Moreover，acoffincontainingalivingbeing，——thatconvict’sexpedient，——

isalsoanimperialexpedient。IfwearetocreditthemonkAustinCastillejo，thiswasthemeansemployedbyCharlestheFifth，desirousofseeingthePlombesforthelasttimeafterhisabdication。

HehadherbroughtintoandcarriedoutofthemonasteryofSaint—Yusteinthismanner。

Fauchelevent，whohadrecoveredhimselfalittle，exclaimed:——

"Buthowwillyoumanagetobreathe？"

"Iwillbreathe。"

"Inthatbox！Themerethoughtofitsuffocatesme。"

"Yousurelymusthaveagimlet，youwillmakeafewholeshereandthere，aroundmymouth，andyouwillnailthetopplankonloosely。"

"Good！Andwhatifyoushouldhappentocoughortosneeze？"

"Amanwhoismakinghisescapedoesnotcoughorsneeze。"

AndJeanValjeanadded:——

"FatherFauchelevent，wemustcometoadecision:Imusteitherbecaughthere，oracceptthisescapethroughthehearse。"

Everyonehasnoticedthetastewhichcatshaveforpausingandloungingbetweenthetwoleavesofahalf—shutdoor。Whoistherewhohasnotsaidtoacat，"Docomein！"Therearemenwho，whenanincidentstandshalf—openbeforethem，havethesametendencytohaltinindecisionbetweentworesolutions，attheriskofgettingcrushedthroughtheabruptclosingoftheadventurebyfate。

Theover—prudent，catsastheyare，andbecausetheyarecats，sometimesincurmoredangerthantheaudacious。Faucheleventwasofthishesitatingnature。ButJeanValjean’scoolnessprevailedoverhiminspiteofhimself。Hegrumbled:——

"Well，sincethereisnoothermeans。"

JeanValjeanresumed:——

"Theonlythingwhichtroublesmeiswhatwilltakeplaceatthecemetery。"

"Thatistheverypointthatisnottroublesome，"exclaimedFauchelevent。

"Ifyouaresureofcomingoutofthecoffinallright，Iamsureofgettingyououtofthegrave。Thegrave—diggerisadrunkard，andafriendofmine。HeisFatherMestienne。Anoldfellowoftheoldschool。Thegrave—diggerputsthecorpsesinthegrave，andIputthegrave—diggerinmypocket。Iwilltellyouwhatwilltakeplace。Theywillarrivealittlebeforedusk，three—quartersofanhourbeforethegatesofthecemeteryareclosed。

Thehearsewilldrivedirectlyuptothegrave。Ishallfollow；

thatismybusiness。Ishallhaveahammer，achisel，andsomepincersinmypocket。Thehearsehalts，theundertaker’smenknotaropearoundyourcoffinandloweryoudown。Thepriestsaystheprayers，makesthesignofthecross，sprinklestheholywater，andtakeshisdeparture。IamleftalonewithFatherMestienne。

Heismyfriend，Itellyou。Oneoftwothingswillhappen，hewilleitherbesober，orhewillnotbesober。Ifheisnotdrunk，Ishallsaytohim:`ComeanddrinkaboutwhiletheBonCoing[theGoodQuince]isopen。’Icarryhimoff，Igethimdrunk，——

itdoesnottakelongtomakeFatherMestiennedrunk，healwayshasthebeginningofitabouthim，——Ilayhimunderthetable，Itakehiscard，sothatIcangetintothecemeteryagain，andIreturnwithouthim。Thenyouhavenolongeranyonebutmetodealwith。Ifheisdrunk，Ishallsaytohim:`Beoff；

Iwilldoyourworkforyou。’Offhegoes，andIdragyououtofthehole。"

JeanValjeanheldouthishand，andFaucheleventprecipitatedhimselfuponitwiththetouchingeffusionofapeasant。

"Thatissettled，FatherFauchelevent。Allwillgowell。"

"Providednothinggoeswrong，"thoughtFauchelevent。"Inthatcase，itwouldbeterrible。"

CHAPTERV

ITISNOTNECESSARYTOBEDRUNKINORDERTOBEIMMORTAL

Onthefollowingday，asthesunwasdeclining，theveryrarepassers—byontheBoulevardduMainepulledofftheirhatstoanold—fashionedhearse，ornamentedwithskulls，cross—bones，andtears。

Thishearsecontainedacoffincoveredwithawhiteclothoverwhichspreadalargeblackcross，likeahugecorpsewithdroopingarms。

Amourning—coach，inwhichcouldbeseenapriestinhissurplice，andachoirboyinhisredcap，followed。Twoundertaker’smeningrayuniformstrimmedwithblackwalkedontherightandtheleftofthehearse。Behinditcameanoldmaninthegarmentsofalaborer，wholimpedalong。TheprocessionwasgoinginthedirectionoftheVaugirardcemetery。

Thehandleofahammer，thebladeofacoldchisel，andtheantennaeofapairofpincerswerevisible，protrudingfromtheman’spocket。

TheVaugirardcemeteryformedanexceptionamongthecemeteriesofParis。Ithaditspeculiarusages，justasithaditscarriageentranceanditshousedoor，whicholdpeopleinthequarter，whoclungtenaciouslytoancientwords，stillcalledtheportecavaliereandtheportepietonne。[16]TheBernardines—BenedictinesoftheRuePetit—Picpushadobtainedpermission，aswehavealreadystated，tobeburiedthereinacornerapart，andatnight，theplotoflandhavingformerlybelongedtotheircommunity。Thegrave—diggersbeingthusboundtoserviceintheeveninginsummerandatnightinwinter，inthiscemetery，theyweresubjectedtoaspecialdiscipline。

ThegatesofthePariscemeteriesclosed，atthatepoch，atsundown，andthisbeingamunicipalregulation，theVaugirardcemeterywasboundbyitliketherest。Thecarriagegateandthehousedoorweretwocontiguousgratedgates，adjoiningapavilionbuiltbythearchitectPerronet，andinhabitedbythedoor—keeperofthecemetery。Thesegates，therefore，swunginexorablyontheirhingesattheinstantwhenthesundisappearedbehindthedomeoftheInvalides。Ifanygrave—diggerweredelayedafterthatmomentinthecemetery，therewasbutonewayforhimtogetout——

hisgrave—digger’scardfurnishedbythedepartmentofpublicfunerals。

Asortofletter—boxwasconstructedintheporter’swindow。

Thegrave—diggerdroppedhiscardintothisbox，theporterhearditfall，pulledtherope，andthesmalldooropened。Ifthemanhadnothiscard，hementionedhisname，theporter，whowassometimesinbedandasleep，rose，cameoutandidentifiedtheman，andopenedthegatewithhiskey；thegrave—diggersteppedout，buthadtopayafineoffifteenfrancs。

[16]Insteadofportecochereandportebatarde。

Thiscemetery，withitspeculiaritiesoutsidetheregulations，embarrassedthesymmetryoftheadministration。Itwassuppressedalittlelaterthan1830。ThecemeteryofMont—Parnasse，calledtheEasterncemetery，succeededtoit，andinheritedthatfamousdram—shopnexttotheVaugirardcemetery，whichwassurmountedbyaquincepaintedonaboard，andwhichformedanangle，onesideonthedrinkers’tables，andtheotheronthetombs，withthissign:

AuBonCoing。

TheVaugirardcemeterywaswhatmaybecalledafadedcemetery。

Itwasfallingintodisuse。Dampnesswasinvadingit，theflowersweredesertingit。ThebourgeoisdidnotcaremuchaboutbeingburiedintheVaugirard；ithintedatpoverty。Pere—Lachaiseifyouplease！tobeburiedinPere—Lachaiseisequivalenttohavingfurnitureofmahogany。Itisrecognizedaselegant。TheVaugirardcemeterywasavenerableenclosure，plantedlikeanold—fashionedFrenchgarden。Straightalleys，box，thuya—trees，holly，ancienttombsbeneathagedcypress—trees，andverytallgrass。

Intheeveningitwastragicthere。Therewereverylugubriouslinesaboutit。

ThesunhadnotyetsetwhenthehearsewiththewhitepallandtheblackcrossenteredtheavenueoftheVaugirardcemetery。

ThelamemanwhofolloweditwasnootherthanFauchelevent。

TheintermentofMotherCrucifixioninthevaultunderthealtar，theexitofCosette，theintroductionofJeanValjeantothedead—room，——

allhadbeenexecutedwithoutdifficulty，andtherehadbeennohitch。

Letusremarkinpassing，thattheburialofMotherCrucifixionunderthealtaroftheconventisaperfectlyvenialoffenceinoursight。Itisoneofthefaultswhichresembleaduty。

Thenunshadcommittedit，notonlywithoutdifficulty，butevenwiththeapplauseoftheirownconsciences。Inthecloister，whatiscalledthe"government"isonlyanintermeddlingwithauthority，aninterferencewhichisalwaysquestionable。Inthefirstplace，therule；asforthecode，weshallsee。Makeasmanylawsasyouplease，men；butkeepthemforyourselves。ThetributetoCaesarisneveranythingbuttheremnantsofthetributetoGod。

Aprinceisnothinginthepresenceofaprinciple。

Faucheleventlimpedalongbehindthehearseinaverycontentedframeofmind。Histwinplots，theonewiththenuns，theonefortheconvent，theotheragainstit，theotherwithM。Madeleine，hadsucceeded，toallappearance。JeanValjean’scomposurewasoneofthosepowerfultranquillitieswhicharecontagious。

Faucheleventnolongerfeltdoubtfulastohissuccess。

Whatremainedtobedonewasamerenothing。Withinthelasttwoyears，hehadmadegoodFatherMestienne，achubby—cheekedperson，drunkatleasttentimes。HeplayedwithFatherMestienne。Hedidwhathelikedwithhim。Hemadehimdanceaccordingtohiswhim。

Mestienne’sheadadjusteditselftothecapofFauchelevent’swill。

Fauchelevent’sconfidencewasperfect。

Atthemomentwhentheconvoyenteredtheavenueleadingtothecemetery，Faucheleventglancedcheerfullyatthehearse，andsaidhalfaloud，asherubbedhisbighands:——

"Here’safinefarce！"

Allatoncethehearsehalted；ithadreachedthegate。Thepermissionforintermentmustbeexhibited。Theundertaker’smanaddressedhimselftotheporterofthecemetery。Duringthiscolloquy，whichalwaysisproductiveofadelayoffromonetotwominutes，someone，astranger，cameandplacedhimselfbehindthehearse，besideFauchelevent。Hewasasortoflaboringman，whoworeawaistcoatwithlargepocketsandcarriedamattockunderhisarm。

Faucheleventsurveyedthisstranger。

"Whoareyou？"hedemanded。

"Themanreplied:——

"Thegrave—digger。"

Ifamancouldsurvivetheblowofacannon—ballfullinthebreast，hewouldmakethesamefacethatFaucheleventmade。

"Thegrave—digger？"

"Yes。"

"You？"

"I。"

"FatherMestienneisthegrave—digger。"

"Hewas。"

"What！Hewas？"

"Heisdead。"

Faucheleventhadexpectedanythingbutthis，thatagrave—diggercoulddie。Itistrue，nevertheless，thatgrave—diggersdodiethemselves。Bydintofexcavatinggravesforotherpeople，onehollowsoutone’sown。

Faucheleventstoodtherewithhismouthwideopen。Hehadhardlythestrengthtostammer:——

"Butitisnotpossible！"

"Itisso。"

"But，"hepersistedfeebly，"FatherMestienneisthegrave—digger。"

"AfterNapoleon，LouisXVIII。AfterMestienne，Gribier。

Peasant，mynameisGribier。"

Fauchelevent，whowasdeadlypale，staredatthisGribier。

Hewasatall，thin，livid，utterlyfunerealman。Hehadtheairofanunsuccessfuldoctorwhohadturnedgrave—digger。

Faucheleventburstoutlaughing。

"Ah！"saidhe，"whatqueerthingsdohappen！FatherMestienneisdead，butlonglivelittleFatherLenoir！DoyouknowwholittleFatherLenoiris？Heisajugofredwine。ItisajugofSurene，morbigou！ofrealParisSurene？Ah！SooldMestienneisdead！

Iamsorryforit；hewasajollyfellow。Butyouareajollyfellow，too。Areyounot，comrade？We’llgoandhaveadrinktogetherpresently。"

Themanreplied:——

"Ihavebeenastudent。Ipassedmyfourthexamination。

Ineverdrink。"

Thehearsehadsetoutagain，andwasrollingupthegrandalleyofthecemetery。

Faucheleventhadslackenedhispace。Helimpedmoreoutofanxietythanfrominfirmity。

Thegrave—diggerwalkedoninfrontofhim。

FaucheleventpassedtheunexpectedGribieroncemoreinreview。

Hewasoneofthosemenwho，thoughveryyoung，havetheairofage，andwho，thoughslender，areextremelystrong。

"Comrade！"criedFauchelevent。

Themanturnedround。

"Iamtheconventgrave—digger。"

"Mycolleague，"saidtheman。

Fauchelevent，whowasilliteratebutverysharp，understoodthathehadtodealwithaformidablespeciesofman，withafinetalker。

Hemuttered:

"SoFatherMestienneisdead。"

Themanreplied:——

"Completely。ThegoodGodconsultedhisnote—bookwhichshowswhenthetimeisup。ItwasFatherMestienne’sturn。FatherMestiennedied。"

Faucheleventrepeatedmechanically:"ThegoodGod——"

"ThegoodGod，"saidthemanauthoritatively。"Accordingtothephilosophers，theEternalFather；accordingtotheJacobins，theSupremeBeing。"

"Shallwenotmakeeachother’sacquaintance？"stammeredFauchelevent。

"Itismade。Youareapeasant，IamaParisian。"

"Peopledonotknoweachotheruntiltheyhavedrunktogether。

Hewhoemptieshisglassemptieshisheart。Youmustcomeandhaveadrinkwithme。Suchathingcannotberefused。"

"Businessfirst。"

Faucheleventthought:"Iamlost。"

Theywereonlyafewturnsofthewheeldistantfromthesmallalleyleadingtothenuns’corner。

Thegrave—diggerresumed:——

"Peasant，Ihavesevensmallchildrenwhomustbefed。Astheymusteat，Icannotdrink。"

Andheadded，withthesatisfactionofaseriousmanwhoisturningaphrasewell:——

"Theirhungeristheenemyofmythirst。"

Thehearseskirtedaclumpofcypress—trees，quittedthegrandalley，turnedintoanarrowone，enteredthewasteland，andplungedintoathicket。Thisindicatedtheimmediateproximityoftheplaceofsepulture。Faucheleventslackenedhispace，buthecouldnotdetainthehearse。Fortunately，thesoil，whichwaslightandwetwiththewinterrains，cloggedthewheelsandretardeditsspeed。

Heapproachedthegrave—digger。

"TheyhavesuchanicelittleArgenteuilwine，"murmuredFauchelevent。

"Villager，"retortedtheman，"Ioughtnotbeagrave—digger。MyfatherwasaporteratthePrytaneum[Town—Hall]。Hedestinedmeforliterature。Buthehadreverses。Hehadlosseson’change。

Iwasobligedtorenouncetheprofessionofauthor。ButIamstillapublicwriter。"

"Soyouarenotagrave—digger，then？"returnedFauchelevent，clutchingatthisbranch，feebleasitwas。

"Theonedoesnothindertheother。Icumulate。"

Faucheleventdidnotunderstandthislastword。

"Comehaveadrink，"saidhe。

Herearemarkbecomesnecessary。Fauchelevent，whateverhisanguish，offeredadrink，buthedidnotexplainhimselfononepoint；whowastopay？Generally，FaucheleventofferedandFatherMestiennepaid。

Anofferofadrinkwastheevidentresultofthenovelsituationcreatedbythenewgrave—digger，anditwasnecessarytomakethisoffer，buttheoldgardenerlefttheproverbialquarterofanhournamedafterRabelaisinthedark，andthatnotunintentionally。

Asforhimself，Faucheleventdidnotwishtopay，troubledashewas。

Thegrave—diggerwentonwithasuperiorsmile:——

"Onemusteat。IhaveacceptedFatherMestienne’sreversion。

Onegetstobeaphilosopherwhenonehasnearlycompletedhisclasses。TothelaborofthehandIjointhelaborofthearm。

Ihavemyscrivener’sstallinthemarketoftheRuedeSevres。

Youknow？theUmbrellaMarket。AllthecooksoftheRedCrossapplytome。Iscribbletheirdeclarationsoflovetotherawsoldiers。

InthemorningIwriteloveletters；intheeveningIdiggraves。

Suchislife，rustic。"

Thehearsewasstilladvancing。Fauchelevent，uneasytothelastdegree，wasgazingabouthimonallsides。Greatdropsofperspirationtrickleddownfromhisbrow。

"But，"continuedthegrave—digger，"amancannotservetwomistresses。

Imustchoosebetweenthepenandthemattock。Themattockisruiningmyhand。"

Thehearsehalted。

Thechoirboyalightedfromthemourning—coach，thenthepriest。

Oneofthesmallfrontwheelsofthehearsehadrunupalittleonapileofearth，beyondwhichanopengravewasvisible。

"Whatafarcethisis！"repeatedFaucheleventinconsternation。

CHAPTERVI

BETWEENFOURPLANKS

Whowasinthecoffin？Thereaderknows。JeanValjean。

JeanValjeanhadarrangedthingssothathecouldexistthere，andhecouldalmostbreathe。

Itisastrangethingtowhatadegreesecurityofconscienceconferssecurityoftherest。EverycombinationthoughtoutbyJeanValjeanhadbeenprogressing，andprogressingfavorably，sincetheprecedingday。He，likeFauchelevent，countedonFatherMestienne。Hehadnodoubtastotheend。Neverwasthereamorecriticalsituation，nevermorecompletecomposure。

Thefourplanksofthecoffinbreatheoutakindofterriblepeace。

ItseemedasthoughsomethingofthereposeofthedeadenteredintoJeanValjean’stranquillity。

Fromthedepthsofthatcoffinhehadbeenabletofollow，andhehadfollowed，a

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