第39章

Oneofwoman’smagnanimitiesistoyield。Love，attheheightwhereitisabsolute，iscomplicatedwithsomeindescribablycelestialblindnessofmodesty。Butwhatdangersyourun，Onoblesouls！

Oftenyougivetheheart，andwetakethebody。Yourheartremainswithyou，yougazeuponitinthegloomwithashudder。Lovehasnomiddlecourse；iteitherruinsoritsaves。Allhumandestinyliesinthisdilemma。Thisdilemma，ruin，orsafety，issetforthnomoreinexorablybyanyfatalitythanbylove。Loveislife，ifitisnotdeath。Cradle；alsocoffin。Thesamesentimentsays"yes"and"no"inthehumanheart。OfallthethingsthatGodhasmade，thehumanheartistheonewhichshedsthemostlight，alas！andthemostdarkness。

GodwilledthatCosette’sloveshouldencounteroneoftheloveswhichsave。

ThroughoutthewholeofthemonthofMayofthatyear1832，therewerethere，ineverynight，inthatpoor，neglectedgarden，beneaththatthicketwhichgrewthickerandmorefragrantdaybyday，twobeingscomposedofallchastity，allinnocence，overflowingwithallthefelicityofheaven，nearertothearchangelsthantomankind，pure，honest，intoxicated，radiant，whoshoneforeachotheramidtheshadows。ItseemedtoCosettethatMariushadacrown，andtoMariusthatCosettehadanimbus。Theytouchedeachother，theygazedateachother，theyclaspedeachother’shands，theypressedclosetoeachother；buttherewasadistancewhichtheydidnotpass。

Notthattheyrespectedit；theydidnotknowofitsexistence。

Mariuswasconsciousofabarrier，Cosette’sinnocence；andCosetteofasupport，Marius’loyalty。Thefirstkisshadalsobeenthelast。Marius，sincethattime，hadnotgonefurtherthantotouchCosette’shand，orherkerchief，oralockofherhair，withhislips。

Forhim，Cosettewasaperfumeandnotawoman。Heinhaledher。

Sherefusednothing，andheaskednothing。Cosettewashappy，andMariuswassatisfied。Theylivedinthisecstaticstatewhichcanbedescribedasthedazzlingofonesoulbyanothersoul。

Itwastheineffablefirstembraceoftwomaidensoulsintheideal。

TwoswansmeetingontheJungfrau。

Atthathouroflove，anhourwhenvoluptuousnessisabsolutelymute，beneaththeomnipotenceofecstasy，Marius，thepureandseraphicMarius，wouldratherhavegonetoawomanofthetownthanhaveraisedCosette’srobetotheheightofherankle。Once，inthemoonlight，Cosettestoopedtopickupsomethingontheground，herbodicefellapartandpermittedaglimpseofthebeginningofherthroat。

Mariusturnedawayhiseyes。

Whattookplacebetweenthesetwobeings？Nothing。Theyadoredeachother。

Atnight，whentheywerethere，thatgardenseemedalivingandasacredspot。Allflowersunfoldedaroundthemandsentthemincense；

andtheyopenedtheirsoulsandscatteredthemovertheflowers。

Thewantonandvigorousvegetationquivered，fullofstrengthandintoxication，aroundthesetwoinnocents，andtheyutteredwordsoflovewhichsetthetreestotrembling。

Whatwordswerethese？Breaths。Nothingmore。Thesebreathssufficedtotroubleandtotouchallnatureroundabout。

Magicpowerwhichweshouldfinditdifficulttounderstandwerewetoreadinabooktheseconversationswhicharemadetobeborneawayanddispersedlikesmokewreathsbythebreezebeneaththeleaves。

Takefromthosemurmursoftwoloversthatmelodywhichproceedsfromthesoulandwhichaccompaniesthemlikealyre，andwhatremainsisnothingmorethanashade；yousay:"What！isthatall！"

eh！yes，childishprattle，repetitions，laughteratnothing，nonsense，everythingthatisdeepestandmostsublimeintheworld！

Theonlythingswhichareworththetroubleofsayingandhearing！

Themanwhohasneverheard，themanwhohasneverutteredtheseabsurdities，thesepaltryremarks，isanimbecileandamaliciousfellow。CosettesaidtoMarius:——

"Dostthouknow？——"

[Inallthisandathwartthiscelestialmaidenliness，andwithouteitherofthembeingabletosayhowithadcomeabout，theyhadbeguntocalleachotherthou。]

"Dostthouknow？MynameisEuphrasie。"

"Euphrasie？Why，no，thynameisCosette。"

"Oh！CosetteisaveryuglynamethatwasgiventomewhenI

wasalittlething。ButmyrealnameisEuphrasie。Dostthoulikethatname——Euphrasie？"

"Yes。ButCosetteisnotugly。"

"DoyoulikeitbetterthanEuphrasie？"

"Why，yes。"

"ThenIlikeitbettertoo。Truly，itispretty，Cosette。

CallmeCosette。"

Andthesmilethatsheaddedmadeofthisdialogueanidylworthyofagrovesituatedinheaven。Onanotheroccasionshegazedintentlyathimandexclaimed:——

"Monsieur，youarehandsome，youaregood—looking，youarewitty，youarenotatallstupid，youaremuchmorelearnedthanIam，butIbidyoudefiancewiththisword:Iloveyou！"

AndMarius，intheveryheavens，thoughtheheardastrainsungbyastar。

Orshebestowedonhimagentletapbecausehecoughed，andshesaidtohim:——

"Don’tcough，sir；Iwillnothavepeoplecoughonmydomainwithoutmypermission。It’sverynaughtytocoughandtodisturbme。

Iwantyoutobewell，because，inthefirstplace，ifyouwerenotwell，Ishouldbeveryunhappy。WhatshouldIdothen？"

Andthiswassimplydivine。

OnceMariussaidtoCosette:——

"Justimagine，IthoughtatonetimethatyournamewasUrsule。"

Thismadebothofthemlaughthewholeevening。

Inthemiddleofanotherconversation，hechancedtoexclaim:——

"Oh！Oneday，attheLuxembourg，Ihadagoodmindtofinishbreakingupaveteran！"Buthestoppedshort，andwentnofurther。

HewouldhavebeenobligedtospeaktoCosetteofhergarter，andthatwasimpossible。Thisborderedonastrangetheme，theflesh，beforewhichthatimmenseandinnocentloverecoiledwithasortofsacredfright。

MariuspicturedlifewithCosettetohimselflikethis，withoutanythingelse；tocomeeveryeveningtotheRuePlumet，todisplacetheoldandaccommodatingbarofthechief—justice’sgate，tositelbowtoelbowonthatbench，togazethroughthetreesatthescintillationoftheon—comingnight，tofitafoldofthekneeofhistrousersintotheamplefallofCosette’sgown，tocaressherthumb—nail，tocallherthou，tosmellofthesameflower，oneaftertheother，forever，indefinitely。Duringthistime，cloudspassedabovetheirheads。Everytimethatthewindblowsitbearswithitmoreofthedreamsofmenthanofthecloudsofheaven。

Thischaste，almostshylovewasnotdevoidofgallantry，byanymeans。Topaycomplimentstothewomanwhomamanlovesisthefirstmethodofbestowingcaresses，andheishalfaudaciouswhotriesit。Acomplimentissomethinglikeakissthroughaveil。

Voluptuousnessminglestherewithitssweettinypoint，whileithidesitself。Theheartdrawsbackbeforevoluptuousnessonlytolovethemore。Marius’blandishments，allsaturatedwithfancy，were，sotospeak，ofazurehue。Thebirdswhentheyflyupyonder，inthedirectionoftheangels，musthearsuchwords。Thereweremingledwiththem，nevertheless，life，humanity，allthepositivenessofwhichMariuswascapable。Itwaswhatissaidinthebower，apreludetowhatwillbesaidinthechamber；alyricaleffusion，stropheandsonnetintermingled，pleasinghyperbolesofcooing，alltherefinementsofadorationarrangedinabouquetandexhalingacelestialperfume，anineffabletwitterofhearttoheart。

"Oh！"murmuredMarius，"howbeautifulyouare！Idarenotlookatyou。

ItisalloverwithmewhenIcontemplateyou。Youareagrace。

Iknownotwhatisthematterwithme。Thehemofyourgown，whenthetipofyourshoepeepsfrombeneath，upsetsme。Andthen，whatanenchantedgleamwhenyouopenyourthoughtevenbutalittle！

Youtalkastonishinglygoodsense。Itseemstomeattimesthatyouareadream。Speak，Ilisten，Iadmire。OhCosette！

howstrangeitisandhowcharming！Iamreallybesidemyself。

Youareadorable，Mademoiselle。Istudyyourfeetwiththemicroscopeandyoursoulwiththetelescope。"

AndCosetteanswered:——

"Ihavebeenlovingalittlemoreallthetimethathaspassedsincethismorning。"

Questionsandrepliestookcareofthemselvesinthisdialogue，whichalwaysturnedwithmutualconsentuponlove，asthelittlepithfiguresalwaysturnontheirpeg。

Cosette’swholepersonwasingenuousness，ingenuity，transparency，whiteness，candor，radiance。ItmighthavebeensaidofCosettethatshewasclear。SheproducedonthosewhosawherthesensationofAprilanddawn。Therewasdewinhereyes。

Cosettewasacondensationoftheaurorallightintheformofawoman。

ItwasquitesimplethatMariusshouldadmireher，sinceheadoredher。

Butthetruthis，thatthislittleschool—girl，freshfromtheconvent，talkedwithexquisitepenetrationanduttered，attimes，allsortsoftrueanddelicatesayings。Herprattlewasconversation。

Shenevermadeamistakeaboutanything，andshesawthingsjustly。

Thewomanfeelsandspeakswiththetenderinstinctoftheheart，whichisinfallible。

Nooneunderstandssowellasawoman，howtosaythingsthatare，atonce，bothsweetanddeep。Sweetnessanddepth，theyarethewholeofwoman；inthemliesthewholeofheaven。

Inthisfullfelicity，tearswelleduptotheireyeseveryinstant。

Acrushedlady—bug，afeatherfallenfromanest，abranchofhawthornbroken，arousedtheirpity，andtheirecstasy，sweetlymingledwithmelancholy，seemedtoasknothingbetterthantoweep。

Themostsovereignsymptomofloveisatendernessthatis，attimes，almostunbearable。

And，inadditiontothis，——allthesecontradictionsarethelightningplayoflove，——theywerefondoflaughing，theylaughedreadilyandwithadeliciousfreedom，andsofamiliarlythattheysometimespresentedtheairoftwoboys。

Still，thoughunknowntoheartsintoxicatedwithpurity，natureisalwayspresentandwillnotbeforgotten。Sheistherewithherbrutalandsublimeobject；andhowevergreatmaybetheinnocenceofsouls，onefeelsinthemostmodestprivateinterview，theadorableandmysteriousshadewhichseparatesacoupleofloversfromapairoffriends。

Theyidolizedeachother。

Thepermanentandtheimmutablearepersistent。Peoplelive，theysmile，theylaugh，theymakelittlegrimaceswiththetipsoftheirlips，theyinterlacetheirfingers，theycalleachotherthou，andthatdoesnotpreventeternity。

Twolovershidethemselvesintheevening，inthetwilight，intheinvisible，withthebirds，withtheroses；theyfascinateeachotherinthedarknesswiththeirheartswhichtheythrowintotheireyes，theymurmur，theywhisper，andinthemeantime，immenselibrationsoftheplanetsfilltheinfiniteuniverse。

CHAPTERII

THEBEWILDERMENTOFPERFECTHAPPINESS

Theyexistedvaguely，frightenedattheirhappiness。TheydidnotnoticethecholerawhichdecimatedParispreciselyduringthatverymonth。

Theyhadconfidedineachotherasfaraspossible，butthishadnotextendedmuchfurtherthantheirnames。MariushadtoldCosettethathewasanorphan，thathisnamewasMariusPontmercy，thathewasalawyer，thathelivedbywritingthingsforpublishers，thathisfatherhadbeenacolonel，thatthelatterhadbeenahero，andthathe，Marius，wasonbadtermswithhisgrandfatherwhowasrich。Hehadalsohintedatbeingabaron，butthishadproducednoeffectonCosette。Shedidnotknowthemeaningoftheword。

MariuswasMarius。Onherside，shehadconfidedtohimthatshehadbeenbroughtupatthePetit—Picpusconvent，thathermother，likehisown，wasdead，thatherfather’snamewasM。Fauchelevent，thathewasverygood，thathegaveagreatdealtothepoor，butthathewaspoorhimself，andthathedeniedhimselfeverythingthoughhedeniedhernothing。

Strangetosay，inthesortofsymphonywhichMariushadlivedsincehehadbeeninthehabitofseeingCosette，thepast，eventhemostrecentpast，hadbecomesoconfusedanddistanttohim，thatwhatCosettetoldhimsatisfiedhimcompletely。

Itdidnotevenoccurtohimtotellheraboutthenocturnaladventureinthehovel，aboutThenardier，abouttheburn，andaboutthestrangeattitudeandsingularflightofherfather。

Mariushadmomentarilyforgottenallthis；intheeveninghedidnotevenknowthattherehadbeenamorning，whathehaddone，wherehehadbreakfasted，norwhohadspokentohim；hehadsongsinhisearswhichrenderedhimdeaftoeveryotherthought；

heonlyexistedatthehourswhenhesawCosette。Then，ashewasinheaven，itwasquitenaturalthatheshouldforgetearth。

Bothborelanguidlytheindefinableburdenofimmaterialpleasures。

Thuslivedthesesomnambulistswhoarecalledlovers。

Alas！Whoistherewhohasnotfeltallthesethings？Whydoestherecomeanhourwhenoneemergesfromthisazure，andwhydoeslifegoonafterwards？

Lovingalmosttakestheplaceofthinking。Loveisanardentforgetfulnessofalltherest。Thenasklogicofpassionifyouwill。

Thereisnomoreabsolutelogicalsequenceinthehumanheartthanthereisaperfectgeometricalfigureinthecelestialmechanism。

ForCosetteandMariusnothingexistedexceptMariusandCosette。

Theuniversearoundthemhadfallenintoahole。Theylivedinagoldenminute。Therewasnothingbeforethem，nothingbehind。

IthardlyoccurredtoMariusthatCosettehadafather。Hisbrainwasdazzledandobliterated。Ofwhatdidtheseloverstalkthen？

Wehaveseen，oftheflowers，andtheswallows，thesettingsunandtherisingmoon，andallsortsofimportantthings。Theyhadtoldeachothereverythingexcepteverything。Theeverythingofloversisnothing。Butthefather，therealities，thatlair，theruffians，thatadventure，towhatpurpose？Andwasheverysurethatthisnightmarehadactuallyexisted？Theyweretwo，andtheyadoredeachother，andbeyondthattherewasnothing。Nothingelseexisted。

Itisprobablethatthisvanishingofhellinourrearisinherenttothearrivalofparadise。Havewebehelddemons？Arethereany？

Havewetrembled？Havewesuffered？Wenolongerknow。Arosycloudhangsoverit。

Sothesetwobeingslivedinthismanner，highaloft，withallthatimprobabilitywhichisinnature；neitheratthenadirnoratthezenith，betweenmanandseraphim，abovethemire，belowtheether，intheclouds；hardlyfleshandblood，soulandecstasyfromheadtofoot；alreadytoosublimetowalktheearth，stilltooheavilychargedwithhumanitytodisappearintheblue，suspendedlikeatomswhicharewaitingtobeprecipitated；apparentlybeyondtheboundsofdestiny；ignorantofthatrut；yesterday，to—day，to—morrow；

amazed，rapturous，floating，soaring；attimessolightthattheycouldtaketheirflightoutintotheinfinite；almostpreparedtosoarawaytoalleternity。Theysleptwide—awake，thussweetlylulled。

Oh！splendidlethargyoftherealoverwhelmedbytheideal。

Sometimes，beautifulasCosettewas，Mariusshuthiseyesinherpresence。Thebestwaytolookatthesoulisthroughclosedeyes。

MariusandCosetteneveraskedthemselveswhitherthiswastoleadthem。

Theyconsideredthattheyhadalreadyarrived。Itisastrangeclaimonman’sparttowishthatloveshouldleadtosomething。

CHAPTERIII

THEBEGINNINGOFSHADOW

JeanValjeansuspectednothing。

Cosette，whowasratherlessdreamythanMarius，wasgay，andthatsufficedforJeanValjean’shappiness。ThethoughtswhichCosettecherished，hertenderpreoccupations，Marius’imagewhichfilledherheart，tookawaynothingfromtheincomparablepurityofherbeautiful，chaste，andsmilingbrow。Shewasattheagewhenthevirginbearsherloveastheangelhislily。SoJeanValjeanwasatease。Andthen，whentwolovershavecometoanunderstanding，thingsalwaysgowell；thethirdpartywhomightdisturbtheirloveiskeptinastateofperfectblindnessbyarestrictednumberofprecautionswhicharealwaysthesameinthecaseofalllovers。

Thus，CosetteneverobjectedtoanyofJeanValjean’sproposals。

Didshewanttotakeawalk？"Yes，dearlittlefather。"Didshewanttostayathome？Verygood。DidhewishtopasstheeveningwithCosette？Shewasdelighted。Ashealwayswenttobedatteno’clock，Mariusdidnotcometothegardenonsuchoccasionsuntilafterthathour，when，fromthestreet，heheardCosetteopenthelongglassdoorontheveranda。Ofcourse，nooneevermetMariusinthedaytime。JeanValjeanneverevendreamedanylongerthatMariuswasinexistence。Onlyonce，onemorning，hechancedtosaytoCosette:"Why，youhavewhitewashonyourback！"Onthepreviousevening，Marius，inatransport，hadpushedCosetteagainstthewall。

OldToussaint，whoretiredearly，thoughtofnothingbuthersleep，andwasasignorantofthewholematterasJeanValjean。

Mariusneversetfootinthehouse。WhenhewaswithCosette，theyhidthemselvesinarecessnearthesteps，inorderthattheymightneitherbeseennorheardfromthestreet，andtheretheysat，frequentlycontentingthemselves，bywayofconversation，withpressingeachother’shandstwentytimesaminuteastheygazedatthebranchesofthetrees。Atsuchtimes，athunderboltmighthavefallenthirtypacesfromthem，andtheywouldnothavenoticedit，sodeeplywasthereveryoftheoneabsorbedandsunkinthereveryoftheother。

Limpidpurity。Hourswhollywhite；almostallalike。Thissortofloveisarecollectionoflilypetalsandtheplumageofthedove。

Thewholeextentofthegardenlaybetweenthemandthestreet。

EverytimethatMariusenteredandleft，hecarefullyadjustedthebarofthegateinsuchamannerthatnodisplacementwasvisible。

Heusuallywentawayaboutmidnight，andreturnedtoCourfeyrac’slodgings。CourfeyracsaidtoBahorel:——

"Wouldyoubelieveit？Mariuscomeshomenowadaysatoneo’clockinthemorning。"

Bahorelreplied:——

"Whatdoyouexpect？There’salwaysapetardinaseminaryfellow。"

Attimes，Courfeyracfoldedhisarms，assumedaseriousair，andsaidtoMarius:——

"Youaregetting

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