第27章

Itwasevidentthat，forthisenergeticandenthusiasticnature，thiscouldonlybeatransitorystate，andthat，atthefirstshockagainsttheinevitablecomplicationsofdestiny，Mariuswouldawaken。

Inthemeantime，althoughhewasalawyer，andwhateverFatherGillenormandthoughtaboutthematter，hewasnotpractising，hewasnotevenpettifogging。Meditationhadturnedhimasidefrompleading。

Tohauntattorneys，tofollowthecourt，tohuntupcases——

whatabore！Whyshouldhedoit？Hesawnoreasonforchangingthemannerofgaininghislivelihood！Theobscureandill—paidpublishingestablishmenthadcometomeanforhimasuresourceofworkwhichdidnotinvolvetoomuchlabor，aswehaveexplained，andwhichsufficedforhiswants。

Oneofthepublishersforwhomheworked，M。Magimel，Ithink，offeredtotakehimintohisownhouse，tolodgehimwell，tofurnishhimwithregularoccupation，andtogivehimfifteenhundredfrancsayear。Tobewelllodged！Fifteenhundredfrancs！Nodoubt。

Butrenouncehisliberty！Beonfixedwages！Asortofhiredmanofletters！AccordingtoMarius’opinion，ifheaccepted，hispositionwouldbecomebothbetterandworseatthesametime，heacquiredcomfort，andlosthisdignity；itwasafineandcompleteunhappinessconvertedintoarepulsiveandridiculousstateoftorture:

somethinglikethecaseofablindmanwhoshouldrecoverthesightofoneeye。Herefused。

Mariusdweltinsolitude。Owingtohistasteforremainingoutsideofeverything，andthroughhavingbeentoomuchalarmed，hehadnotentereddecidedlyintothegrouppresidedoverbyEnjolras。

Theyhadremainedgoodfriends；theywerereadytoassisteachotheronoccasionineverypossibleway；butnothingmore。

Mariushadtwofriends:oneyoung，Courfeyrac；andoneold，M。Mabeuf。Heinclinedmoretotheoldman。Inthefirstplace，heowedtohimtherevolutionwhichhadtakenplacewithinhim；

tohimhewasindebtedforhavingknownandlovedhisfather。

"Heoperatedonmeforacataract，"hesaid。

Thechurchwardenhadcertainlyplayedadecisivepart。

Itwasnot，however，thatM。MabeufhadbeenanythingbutthecalmandimpassiveagentofProvidenceinthisconnection。HehadenlightenedMariusbychanceandwithoutbeingawareofthefact，asdoesacandlewhichsomeonebrings；hehadbeenthecandleandnotthesomeone。

AsforMarius’inwardpoliticalrevolution，M。Mabeufwastotallyincapableofcomprehendingit，ofwillingorofdirectingit。

AsweshallseeM。Mabeufagain，lateron，afewwordswillnotbesuperfluous。

CHAPTERIV

M。MABEUF

OnthedaywhenM。MabeufsaidtoMarius:"CertainlyIapproveofpoliticalopinions，"heexpressedtherealstateofhismind。

Allpoliticalopinionsweremattersofindifferencetohim，andheapprovedthemall，withoutdistinction，providedtheylefthiminpeace，astheGreekscalledtheFuries"thebeautiful，thegood，thecharming，"theEumenides。M。Mabeuf’spoliticalopinionconsistedinapassionateloveforplants，and，aboveall，forbooks。

Likealltherestoftheworld，hepossessedtheterminationinist，withoutwhichnoonecouldexistatthattime，buthewasneitheraRoyalist，aBonapartist，aChartist，anOrleanist，noranAnarchist；

hewasabouquinist，acollectorofoldbooks。Hedidnotunderstandhowmencouldbusythemselveswithhatingeachotherbecauseofsillystufflikethecharter，democracy，legitimacy，monarchy，therepublic，etc。，whentherewereintheworldallsortsofmosses，grasses，andshrubswhichtheymightbelookingat，andheapsoffolios，andevenof32mos，whichtheymightturnover。Hetookgoodcarenottobecomeuseless；havingbooksdidnotpreventhisreading，beingabotanistdidnotpreventhisbeingagardener。WhenhemadePontmercy’sacquaintance，thissympathyhadexistedbetweenthecolonelandhimself——thatwhatthecoloneldidforflowers，hedidforfruits。M。MabeufhadsucceededinproducingseedlingpearsassavoryasthepearsofSt。Germain；itisfromoneofhiscombinations，apparently，thattheOctoberMirabelle，nowcelebratedandnolessperfumedthanthesummerMirabelle，owesitsorigin。Hewenttomassratherfromgentlenessthanfrompiety，andbecause，ashelovedthefacesofmen，buthatedtheirnoise，hefoundthemassembledandsilentonlyinchurch。

FeelingthathemustbesomethingintheState，hehadchosenthecareerofwarden。However，hehadneversucceededinlovinganywomanasmuchasatulipbulb，noranymanasmuchasanElzevir。

Hehadlongpassedsixty，when，oneday，someoneaskedhim:

"Haveyouneverbeenmarried？""Ihaveforgotten，"saidhe。

Whenitsometimeshappenedtohim——andtowhomdoesitnothappen？——

tosay:"Oh！ifIwereonlyrich！"itwasnotwhenoglingaprettygirl，aswasthecasewithFatherGillenormand，butwhencontemplatinganoldbook。Helivedalonewithanoldhousekeeper。

Hewassomewhatgouty，andwhenhewasasleep，hisagedfingers，stiffenedwithrheumatism，laycrookedupinthefoldsofhissheets。

HehadcomposedandpublishedaFloraoftheEnvironsofCauteretz，withcoloredplates，aworkwhichenjoyedatolerablemeasureofesteemandwhichsoldwell。Peopleranghisbell，intheRueMesieres，twoorthreetimesaday，toaskforit。Hedrewasmuchastwothousandfrancsayearfromit；thisconstitutednearlythewholeofhisfortune。Althoughpoor，hehadhadthetalenttoformforhimself，bydintofpatience，privations，andtime，apreciouscollectionofrarecopiesofeverysort。Heneverwentoutwithoutabookunderhisarm，andheoftenreturnedwithtwo。Thesoledecorationofthefourroomsonthegroundfloor，whichcomposedhislodgings，consistedofframedherbariums，andengravingsoftheoldmasters。

Thesightofaswordoragunchilledhisblood。Hehadneverapproachedacannoninhislife，evenattheInvalides。Hehadapassablestomach，abrotherwhowasacure，perfectlywhitehair，noteeth，eitherinhismouthorhismind，atremblingineverylimb，aPicardaccent，aninfantilelaugh，theairofanoldsheep，andhewaseasilyfrightened。Addtothis，thathehadnootherfriendship，nootheracquaintanceamongtheliving，thananoldbooksellerofthePorte—Saint—Jacques，namedRoyal。HisdreamwastonaturalizeindigoinFrance。

Hisservantwasalsoasortofinnocent。Thepoorgoodoldwomanwasaspinster。Sultan，hercat，whichmighthavemewedAllegri’smiserereintheSixtineChapel，hadfilledherheartandsufficedforthequantityofpassionwhichexistedinher。Noneofherdreamshadeverproceededasfarasman。Shehadneverbeenabletogetfurtherthanhercat。Likehim，shehadamustache。Hergloryconsistedinhercaps，whichwerealwayswhite。Shepassedhertime，onSundays，aftermass，incountingoverthelineninherchest，andinspreadingoutonherbedthedressesinthepiecewhichsheboughtandneverhadmadeup。Sheknewhowtoread。M。MabeufhadnicknamedherMotherPlutarque。

M。MabeufhadtakenafancytoMarius，becauseMarius，beingyoungandgentle，warmedhisagewithoutstartlinghistimidity。

Youthcombinedwithgentlenessproducesonoldpeopletheeffectofthesunwithoutwind。WhenMariuswassaturatedwithmilitaryglory，withgunpowder，withmarchesandcountermarches，andwithallthoseprodigiousbattlesinwhichhisfatherhadgivenandreceivedsuchtremendousblowsofthesword，hewenttoseeM。Mabeuf，andM。Mabeuftalkedtohimofhisherofromthepointofviewofflowers。

Hisbrotherthecurediedabout1830，andalmostimmediately，aswhenthenightisdrawingon，thewholehorizongrewdarkforM。Mabeuf。

Anotary’sfailuredeprivedhimofthesumoftenthousandfrancs，whichwasallthathepossessedinhisbrother’srightandhisown。

TheRevolutionofJulybroughtacrisistopublishing。Inaperiodofembarrassment，thefirstthingwhichdoesnotsellisaFlora。

TheFloraoftheEnvironsofCauteretzstoppedshort。Weekspassedbywithoutasinglepurchaser。SometimesM。Mabeufstartedatthesoundofthebell。"Monsieur，"saidMotherPlutarquesadly，"itisthewater—carrier。"Inshort，oneday，M。MabeufquittedtheRueMesieres，abdicatedthefunctionsofwarden，gaveupSaint—Sulpice，soldnotapartofhisbooks，butofhisprints，——

thattowhichhewastheleastattached，——andinstalledhimselfinalittlehouseontheRueMontparnasse，where，however，heremainedbutonequarterfortworeasons:inthefirstplace，thegroundfloorandthegardencostthreehundredfrancs，andhedarednotspendmorethantwohundredfrancsonhisrent；inthesecond，beingnearFaton’sshooting—gallery，hecouldhearthepistol—shots；

whichwasintolerabletohim。

HecarriedoffhisFlora，hiscopper—plates，hisherbariums，hisportfolios，andhisbooks，andestablishedhimselfneartheSalpetriere，inasortofthatchedcottageofthevillageofAusterlitz，where，forfiftycrownsayear，hegotthreeroomsandagardenenclosedbyahedge，andcontainingawell。Hetookadvantageofthisremovaltoselloffnearlyallhisfurniture。

Onthedayofhisentranceintohisnewquarters，hewasverygay，anddrovethenailsonwhichhisengravingsandherbariumsweretohang，withhisownhands，duginhisgardentherestoftheday，andatnight，perceivingthatMotherPlutarquehadamelancholyair，andwasverythoughtful，hetappedherontheshoulderandsaidtoherwithasmile:"Wehavetheindigo！"

Onlytwovisitors，thebooksellerofthePorte—Saint—JacquesandMarius，wereadmittedtoviewthethatchedcottageatAusterlitz，abrawlingnamewhichwas，totellthetruth，extremelydisagreeabletohim。

However，aswehavejustpointedout，brainswhichareabsorbedinsomebitofwisdom，orfolly，or，asitoftenhappens，inbothatonce，arebutslowlyaccessibletothethingsofactuallife。

Theirowndestinyisafar—offthingtothem。Thereresultsfromsuchconcentrationapassivity，which，ifitweretheoutcomeofreasoning，wouldresemblephilosophy。Onedeclines，descends，tricklesaway，evencrumblesaway，andyetishardlyconsciousofitone’sself。

Italwaysends，itistrue，inanawakening，buttheawakeningistardy。

Inthemeantime，itseemsasthoughweheldourselvesneutralinthegamewhichisgoingonbetweenourhappinessandourunhappiness。

Wearethestake，andwelookonatthegamewithindifference。

Itisthusthat，athwartthecloudwhichformedabouthim，whenallhishopeswereextinguishedoneaftertheother，M。Mabeufremainedratherpuerilely，butprofoundlyserene。Hishabitsofmindhadtheregularswingofapendulum。Oncemountedonanillusion，hewentforaverylongtime，evenaftertheillusionhaddisappeared。

Aclockdoesnotstopshortattheprecisemomentwhenthekeyislost。

M。Mabeufhadhisinnocentpleasures。Thesepleasureswereinexpensiveandunexpected；themerestchancefurnishedthem。Oneday，MotherPlutarquewasreadingaromanceinonecorneroftheroom。

Shewasreadingaloud，findingthatsheunderstoodbetterthus。

Toreadaloudistoassureone’sselfofwhatoneisreading。

Therearepeoplewhoreadveryloud，andwhohavetheappearanceofgivingthemselvestheirwordofhonorastowhattheyareperusing。

ItwaswiththissortofenergythatMotherPlutarquewasreadingtheromancewhichshehadinhand。M。Mabeufheardherwithoutlisteningtoher。

Inthecourseofherreading，MotherPlutarquecametothisphrase。

Itwasaquestionofanofficerofdragoonsandabeauty:——

"——Thebeautypouted，andthedragoon——"

Heresheinterruptedherselftowipeherglasses。

"BouddhaandtheDragon，"struckinM。Mabeufinalowvoice。

"Yes，itistruethattherewasadragon，which，fromthedepthsofitscave，spoutedflamethroughhismawandsettheheavensonfire。

Manystarshadalreadybeenconsumedbythismonster，which，besides，hadtheclawsofatiger。Bouddhawentintoitsdenandsucceededinconvertingthedragon。Thatisagoodbookthatyouarereading，MotherPlutarque。Thereisnomorebeautifullegendinexistence。"

AndM。Mabeuffellintoadeliciousrevery。

CHAPTERV

POVERTYAGOODNEIGHBORFORMISERY

Mariuslikedthiscandidoldmanwhosawhimselfgraduallyfallingintotheclutchesofindigence，andwhocametofeelastonishment，littlebylittle，without，however，beingmademelancholybyit。

MariusmetCourfeyracandsoughtoutM。Mabeuf。Veryrarely，however；

twiceamonthatmost。

Marius’pleasureconsistedintakinglongwalksaloneontheouterboulevards，orintheChamps—de—Mars，orintheleastfrequentedalleysoftheLuxembourg。Heoftenspenthalfadayingazingatamarketgarden，thebedsoflettuce，thechickensonthedung—heap，thehorseturningthewater—wheel。Thepassers—bystaredathiminsurprise，andsomeofthemthoughthisattiresuspiciousandhismiensinister。

Hewasonlyapooryoungmandreaminginanobjectlessway。

ItwasduringoneofhisstrollsthathehadhitupontheGorbeauhouse，and，temptedbyitsisolationanditscheapness，hadtakenuphisabodethere。HewasknownthereonlyunderthenameofM。Marius。

Someofhisfather’soldgeneralsoroldcomradeshadinvitedhimtogoandseethem，whentheylearnedabouthim。Mariushadnotrefusedtheirinvitations。Theyaffordedopportunitiesoftalkingabouthisfather。Thushewentfromtimetotime，toComtePajol，toGeneralBellavesne，toGeneralFririon，totheInvalides。

Therewasmusicanddancingthere。Onsuchevenings，Mariusputonhisnewcoat。Butheneverwenttotheseeveningpartiesorballsexceptondayswhenitwasfreezingcold，becausehecouldnotaffordacarriage，andhedidnotwishtoarrivewithbootsotherwisethanlikemirrors。

Hesaidsometimes，butwithoutbitterness:"Menaresomadethatinadrawing—roomyoumaybesoiledeverywhereexceptonyourshoes。

Inordertoinsureagoodreceptionthere，onlyoneirreproachablethingisaskedofyou；yourconscience？No，yourboots。"

Allpassionsexceptthoseoftheheartaredissipatedbyrevery。

Marius’politicalfeversvanishedthus。TheRevolutionof1830

assistedintheprocess，bysatisfyingandcalminghim。

Heremainedthesame，settingasidehisfitsofwrath。

Hestillheldthesameopinions。Only，theyhadbeentempered。

Tospeakaccurately，hehadnolongeranyopinions，hehadsympathies。

Towhatpartydidhebelong？Tothepartyofhumanity。OutofhumanityhechoseFrance；outoftheNationhechosethepeople；

outofthepeoplehechosethewoman。Itwastothatpointaboveall，thathispitywasdirected。Nowhepreferredanideatoadeed，apoettoahero，andheadmiredabooklikeJobmorethananeventlikeMarengo。Andthen，when，afteradayspentinmeditation，hereturnedintheeveningthroughtheboulevards，andcaughtaglimpsethroughthebranchesofthetreesofthefathomlessspacebeyond，thenamelessgleams，theabyss，theshadow，themystery，allthatwhichisonlyhumanseemedveryprettyindeedtohim。

Hethoughtthathehad，andhereallyhad，infact，arrivedatthetruthoflifeandofhumanphilosophy，andhehadendedbygazingatnothingbutheaven，theonlythingwhichTruthcanperceivefromthebottomofherwell。

Thisdidnotpreventhimfrommultiplyinghisplans，hiscombinations，hisscaffoldings，hisprojectsforthefuture。Inthisstateofrevery，aneyewhichcouldhavecastaglanceintoMarius’

interiorwouldhavebeendazzledwiththepurityofthatsoul。

Infact，haditbeengiventooureyesofthefleshtogazeintotheconsciencesofothers，weshouldbeabletojudgeamanmuchmoresurelyaccordingtowhathedreams，thanaccordingtowhathethinks。Thereiswillinthought，thereisnoneindreams。

Revery，whichisutterlyspontaneous，takesandkeeps，eveninthegiganticandtheideal，theformofourspirit。Nothingproceedsmoredirectlyandmoresincerelyfromtheverydepthofoursoul，thanourunpremeditatedandboundlessaspirationstowardsthesplendorsofdestiny。Intheseaspirations，muchmorethanindeliberate，rationalcoordinatedideas，istherealcharacterofamantobefound。Ourchimerasarethethingswhichthemostresembleus。

Eachoneofusdreamsoftheunknownandtheimpossibleinaccordancewithhisnature。

Towardsthemiddleofthisyear1831，theoldwomanwhowaitedonMariustoldhimthathisneighbors，thewretchedJondrettefamily，hadbeenturnedoutofdoors。Marius，whopassednearlythewholeofhisdaysoutofthehouse，hardlyknewthathehadanyneighbors。

"Whyaretheyturnedout？"heasked。

"Becausetheydonotpaytheirrent；theyowefortwoquarters。"

"Howmuchisit？"

"Twentyfrancs，"saidtheoldwoman。

Mariushadthirtyfrancssavedupinadrawer。

"Here，"hesaidtotheoldwoman，"takethesetwenty—fivefrancs。

Payforthepoorpeopleandgivethemfivefrancs，anddonottellthemthatitwasI。"

CHAPTERVI

THESUBSTITUTE

ItchancedthattheregimenttowhichLieutenantTheodulebelongedcametoperformgarrisondutyinParis。ThisinspiredAuntGillenormandwithasecondidea。Shehad，onthefirstoccasion，hitupontheplanofhavingMariusspieduponbyTheodule；nowsheplottedtohaveTheoduletakeMarius’place。

Atalleventsandincasethegrandfathershouldfeelthevagueneedofayoungfaceinthehouse，——theseraysofdawnaresometimessweettoruin，——itwasexpedienttofindanotherMarius。"Takeitasasimpleerratum，"shethought，"suchasoneseesinbooks。

ForMarius，readTheodule。"

Agrandnephewisalmostthesameasagrandson；indefaultofalawyeronetakesalancer。

Onemorning，whenM。GillenormandwasabouttoreadsomethingintheQuotidienne，hisdaughterenteredandsaidtohiminhersweetestvoice；forthequestionconcernedherfavorite:——

"Father，Theoduleiscomingtopresenthisrespectstoyouthismorning。"

"Who’sTheodule？"

"Yourgrandnephew。"

"Ah！"saidthegrandfather。

Thenhewentbacktohisreading，thoughtnomoreofhisgrandnephew，whowasmerelysomeTheoduleorother，andsoonflewintoarage，whichalmostalwayshappenedwhenheread。The"sheet"whichheheld，althoughRoyalist，ofcourse，announcedforthefollowingday，withoutanysofteningphrases，oneoftheselittleeventswhichwereofdailyoccurrenceatthatdateinParis:"ThatthestudentsoftheschoolsoflawandmedicineweretoassembleonthePlaceduPantheon，atmidday，——todeliberate。"Thediscussionconcernedoneofthequestionsofthemoment，theartilleryoftheNationalGuard，andaconflictbetweentheMinisterofWarand"thecitizen’smilitia，"

onthesubjectofthecannonparkedinthecourtyardoftheLouvre。

Thestudentswereto"deliberate"overthis。ItdidnottakemuchmorethanthistoswellM。Gillenormand’srage。

HethoughtofMarius，whowasastudent，andwhowouldprobablygowiththerest，to"deliberate，atmidday，onthePlaceduPantheon。"

Ashewasindulginginthispainfuldream，LieutenantTheoduleenteredcladinplainclothesasabourgeois，whichwascleverofhim，andwasdiscreetlyintroducedbyMademoiselleGillenormand。

Thelancerhadreasonedasfollows:"Theolddruidhasnotsunkallhismoneyinalifepension。Itiswelltodisguiseone’sselfasacivilianfromtimetotime。"

MademoiselleGillenormandsaidaloudtoherfather:——

"Theodule，yourgrandnephew。"

Andinalowvoicetothelieutenant:——

"Approveofeverything。"

Andshewithdrew。

Thelieutenant，whowasbutlittleaccustomedtosuchvenerableencounters，stammeredwithsometimidity:"Goodday，uncle，"——

andmadeasalutecomposedoftheinvoluntaryandmechanicaloutlineofthemilitarysalutefinishedoffasabourgeoissalute。

"Ah！soit’syou；thatiswell，sitdown，"saidtheoldgentleman。

Thatsaid，hetotallyforgotthelancer。

Theoduleseatedhimself，andM。Gillenormandrose。

M。Gillenormandbegantopacebackandforth，hishandsinhispockets，talkingaloud，andtwitching，withhisirritatedoldfingers，atthetwowatcheswhichheworeinhistwofobs。

"Thatpackofbrats！theyconveneonthePlaceduPantheon！

bymylife！urchinswhowerewiththeirnursesbutyesterday！

Ifoneweretosqueezetheirnoses，milkwouldburstout。

Andtheydeliberateto—morrow，atmidday。Whatar

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