第49章

BOOKTHIRD。——MUDBUTTHESOUL

CHAPTERI

THESEWERANDITSSURPRISES

ItwasinthesewersofParisthatJeanValjeanfoundhimself。

StillanotherresemblancebetweenParisandthesea。Asintheocean，thedivermaydisappearthere。

Thetransitionwasanunheard—ofone。Intheveryheartofthecity，JeanValjeanhadescapedfromthecity，and，inthetwinklingofaneye，inthetimerequiredtoliftthecoverandtoreplaceit，hehadpassedfrombroaddaylighttocompleteobscurity，frommiddaytomidnight，fromtumulttosilence，fromthewhirlwindofthunderstothestagnationofthetomb，and，byavicissitudefarmoretremendouseventhanthatoftheRuePolonceau，fromthemostextremeperiltothemostabsoluteobscurity。

Anabruptfallintoacavern；adisappearanceintothesecrettrap—doorofParis；toquitthatstreetwheredeathwasoneveryside，forthatsortofsepulchrewheretherewaslife，wasastrangeinstant。Heremainedforseveralsecondsasthoughbewildered；listening，stupefied。Thewaste—trapofsafetyhadsuddenlyyawnedbeneathhim。Celestialgoodnesshad，inamanner，capturedhimbytreachery。Adorableambuscadesofprovidence！

Only，thewoundedmandidnotstir，andJeanValjeandidnotknowwhetherthatwhichhewascarryinginthatgravewasalivingbeingoradeadcorpse。

Hisfirstsensationwasoneofblindness。Allofasudden，hecouldseenothing。Itseemedtohimtoo，that，inoneinstant，hehadbecomedeaf。Henolongerheardanything。Thefranticstormofmurderwhichhadbeenletlooseafewfeetabovehisheaddidnotreachhim，thankstothethicknessoftheearthwhichseparatedhimfromit，aswehavesaid，otherwisethanfaintlyandindistinctly，andlikearumbling，inthedepths。

Hefeltthatthegroundwassolidunderhisfeet；thatwasall；

butthatwasenough。Heextendedonearmandthentheother，touchedthewallsonbothsides，andperceivedthatthepassagewasnarrow；heslipped，andthusperceivedthatthepavementwaswet。

Hecautiouslyputforwardonefoot，fearingahole，asink，somegulf；

hediscoveredthatthepavingcontinued。Agustoffetidnessinformedhimoftheplaceinwhichhestood。

Afterthelapseofafewminutes，hewasnolongerblind。Alittlelightfellthroughtheman—holethroughwhichhehaddescended，andhiseyesbecameaccustomedtothiscavern。Hebegantodistinguishsomething。

Thepassageinwhichhehadburrowed——nootherwordcanbetterexpressthesituation——waswalledinbehindhim。Itwasoneofthoseblindalleys，whichthespecialjargontermsbranches。

Infrontofhimtherewasanotherwall，awalllikenight。

Thelightoftheair—holediedouttenortwelvepacesfromthepointwhereJeanValjeanstood，andbarelycastawanpalloronafewmetresofthedampwallsofthesewer。Beyond，theopaquenesswasmassive；

topenetratethitherseemedhorrible，anentranceintoitappearedlikeanengulfment。Amancould，however，plungeintothatwalloffoganditwasnecessarysotodo。Hastewasevenrequisite。

ItoccurredtoJeanValjeanthatthegratingwhichhehadcaughtsightofundertheflag—stonesmightalsocatchtheeyeofthesoldiery，andthateverythinghunguponthischance。Theyalsomightdescendintothatwellandsearchit。Therewasnotaminutetobelost。

HehaddepositedMariusontheground，hepickedhimupagain，——

thatistherealwordforit，——placedhimonhisshouldersoncemore，andsetout。Heplungedresolutelyintothegloom。

Thetruthis，thattheywerelesssafethanJeanValjeanfancied。

Perilsofanothersortandnolessseriouswereawaitingthem，perchance。Afterthelightning—chargedwhirlwindofthecombat，thecavernofmiasmasandtraps；afterchaos，thesewer。

JeanValjeanhadfallenfromonecircleofhellintoanother。

Whenhehadadvancedfiftypaces，hewasobligedtohalt。Aproblempresenteditself。Thepassageterminatedinanothergutwhichheencounteredacrosshispath。Theretwowayspresentedthemselves。

Whichshouldhetake？Oughthetoturntotheleftortotheright？

Howwashetofindhisbearingsinthatblacklabyrinth？

Thislabyrinth，towhichwehavealreadycalledthereader’sattention，hasaclue，whichisitsslope。Tofollowtotheslopeistoarriveattheriver。

ThisJeanValjeaninstantlycomprehended。

HesaidtohimselfthathewasprobablyinthesewerdesHalles；

thatifheweretochoosethepathtotheleftandfollowtheslope，hewouldarrive，inlessthanaquarterofanhour，atsomemouthontheSeinebetweenthePontauChangeandthePont—Neuf，thatistosay，hewouldmakehisappearanceinbroaddaylightonthemostdenselypeopledspotinParis。Perhapshewouldcomeoutonsomeman—holeattheintersectionofstreets。Amazementofthepassers—byatbeholdingtwobleedingmenemergefromtheearthattheirfeet。

Arrivalofthepolice，acalltoarmsoftheneighboringpostofguards。Thustheywouldbeseizedbeforetheyhadevengotout。

Itwouldbebettertoplungeintothatlabyrinth，toconfidethemselvestothatblackgloom，andtotrusttoProvidencefortheoutcome。

Heascendedtheincline，andturnedtotheright。

Whenhehadturnedtheangleofthegallery，thedistantglimmerofanair—holedisappeared，thecurtainofobscurityfelluponhimoncemore，andhebecameblindagain。Nevertheless，headvancedasrapidlyaspossible。Marius’twoarmswerepassedroundhisneck，andtheformer’sfeetdraggedbehindhim。Heheldboththesearmswithonehand，andgropedalongthewallwiththeother。Marius’cheektouchedhis，andclungthere，bleeding。

HefeltawarmstreamwhichcamefromMariustricklingdownuponhimandmakingitswayunderhisclothes。Butahumidwarmthnearhisear，whichthemouthofthewoundedmantouched，indicatedrespiration，andconsequently，life。ThepassagealongwhichJeanValjeanwasnowproceedingwasnotsonarrowasthefirst。

JeanValjeanwalkedthroughitwithconsiderabledifficulty。

Therainoftheprecedingdayhadnot，asyet，entirelyrunoff，anditcreatedalittletorrentinthecentreofthebottom，andhewasforcedtohugthewallinordernottohavehisfeetinthewater。

Thusheproceededinthegloom。Heresembledthebeingsofthenightgropingintheinvisibleandlostbeneaththeearthinveinsofshadow。

Still，littlebylittle，whetheritwasthatthedistantair—holesemittedalittlewaveringlightinthisopaquegloom，orwhetherhiseyeshadbecomeaccustomedtotheobscurity，somevaguevisionreturnedtohim，andhebeganoncemoretogainaconfusedidea，nowofthewallwhichhetouched，nowofthevaultbeneathwhichhewaspassing。Thepupildilatesinthedark，andthesouldilatesinmisfortuneandendsbyfindingGodthere。

Itwasnoteasytodirecthiscourse。

Thelineofthesewerre—echoes，sotospeak，thelineofthestreetswhichlieaboveit。ThereweretheninParistwothousandtwohundredstreets。Letthereaderimaginehimselfbeneaththatforestofgloomybrancheswhichiscalledthesewer。

Thesystemofsewersexistingatthatepoch，placedendtoend，wouldhavegivenalengthofelevenleagues。Wehavesaidabove，thattheactualnet—work，thankstothespecialactivityofthelastthirtyyears，wasnolessthansixtyleaguesinextent。

JeanValjeanbeganbycommittingablunder。HethoughtthathewasbeneaththeRueSaint—Denis，anditwasapitythatitwasnotso。

UndertheRueSaint—DenisthereisanoldstonesewerwhichdatesfromLouisXIII。andwhichrunsstraighttothecollectingsewer，calledtheGrandSewer，withbutasingleelbow，ontheright，ontheelevationoftheancientCourdesMiracles，andasinglebranch，theSaint—Martinsewer，whosefourarmsdescribeacross。ButthegutofthePetite—TruanderietheentrancetowhichwasinthevicinityoftheCorinthewine—shophasnevercommunicatedwiththeseweroftheRueSaint—Denis；itendedattheMontmartresewer，anditwasinthisthatJeanValjeanwasentangled。Thereopportunitiesoflosingoneselfabound。TheMontmartresewerisoneofthemostlabyrinthineoftheancientnetwork。Fortunately，JeanValjeanhadleftbehindhimthesewerofthemarketswhosegeometricalplanpresentstheappearanceofamultitudeofparrots’roostspiledontopofeachother；buthehadbeforehimmorethanoneembarrassingencounterandmorethanonestreetcorner——fortheyarestreets——

presentingitselfinthegloomlikeaninterrogationpoint；

first，onhisleft，thevastsewerofthePlatriere，asortofChinesepuzzle，thrustingoutandentanglingitschaosofTsandZsunderthePost—OfficeandundertherotundaoftheWheatMarket，asfarastheSeine，whereitterminatesinaY；secondly，onhisright，thecurvingcorridoroftheRueduCadranwithitsthreeteeth，whicharealsoblindcourts；thirdly，onhisleft，thebranchoftheMail，complicated，almostatitsinception，withasortoffork，andproceedingfromzig—zagtozig—zaguntilitendsinthegrandcryptoftheoutletoftheLouvre，truncatedandramifiedineverydirection；andlastly，theblindalleyofapassageoftheRuedesJeuneurs，withoutcountinglittleductshereandthere，beforereachingthebeltsewer，whichalonecouldconducthimtosomeissuesufficientlydistanttobesafe。

HadJeanValjeanhadanyideaofallthatwehaveherepointedout，hewouldspeedilyhaveperceived，merelybyfeelingthewall，thathewasnotinthesubterraneangalleryoftheRueSaint—Denis。

Insteadoftheancientstone，insteadoftheantiquearchitecture，haughtyandroyaleveninthesewer，withpavementandstringcoursesofgraniteandmortarcostingeighthundredlivresthefathom，hewouldhavefeltunderhishandcontemporarycheapness，economicalexpedients，porousstonefilledwithmortaronaconcretefoundation，whichcoststwohundredfrancsthemetre，andthebourgeoisemasonryknownasapetitsmateriaux——smallstuff；

butofallthisheknewnothing。

Headvancedwithanxiety，butwithcalmness，seeingnothing，knowingnothing，buriedinchance，thatistosay，engulfedinprovidence。

Bydegrees，wewilladmit，acertainhorrorseizeduponhim。

Thegloomwhichenvelopedhimpenetratedhisspirit。Hewalkedinanenigma。Thisaqueductofthesewerisformidable；

itinterlacesinadizzyfashion。ItisamelancholythingtobecaughtinthisParisofshadows。JeanValjeanwasobligedtofindandeventoinventhisroutewithoutseeingit。Inthisunknown，everystepthatheriskedmightbehislast。Howwashetogetout？shouldhefindanissue？shouldhefinditintime？wouldthatcolossalsubterraneanspongewithitsstonecavities，allowitselftobepenetratedandpierced？shouldhethereencountersomeunexpectedknotinthedarkness？shouldhearriveattheinextricableandtheimpassable？wouldMariusdiethereofhemorrhageandheofhunger？shouldtheyendbybothgettinglost，andbyfurnishingtwoskeletonsinanookofthatnight？Hedidnotknow。

Heputallthesequestionstohimselfwithoutreplyingtothem。

TheintestinesofParisformaprecipice。Liketheprophet，hewasinthebellyofthemonster。

Allatonce，hehadasurprise。Atthemostunforeseenmoment，andwithouthavingceasedtowalkinastraightline，heperceivedthathewasnolongerascending；thewateroftherivuletwasbeatingagainsthisheels，insteadofmeetinghimathistoes。

Thesewerwasnowdescending。Why？WasheabouttoarrivesuddenlyattheSeine？Thisdangerwasagreatone，buttheperilofretreatingwasstillgreater。Hecontinuedtoadvance。

ItwasnottowardstheSeinethathewasproceeding。TheridgewhichthesoilofParisformsonitsrightbankemptiesoneofitswater—shedsintotheSeineandtheotherintotheGrandSewer。

Thecrestofthisridgewhichdeterminesthedivisionofthewatersdescribesaverycapriciousline。Theculminatingpoint，whichisthepointofseparationofthecurrents，isintheSainte—Avoyesewer，beyondtheRueMichelle—Comte，intheseweroftheLouvre，neartheboulevards，andintheMontmartresewer，neartheHalles。

ItwasthisculminatingpointthatJeanValjeanhadreached。Hewasdirectinghiscoursetowardsthebeltsewer；hewasontherightpath。

Buthedidnotknowit。

Everytimethatheencounteredabranch，hefeltofitsangles，andifhefoundthattheopeningwhichpresenteditselfwassmallerthanthepassageinwhichhewas，hedidnotenterbutcontinuedhisroute，rightlyjudgingthateverynarrowerwaymustneedsterminateinablindalley，andcouldonlyleadhimfurtherfromhisgoal，thatistosay，theoutlet。Thusheavoidedthequadrupletrapwhichwassetforhiminthedarknessbythefourlabyrinthswhichwehavejustenumerated。

Atacertainmoment，heperceivedthathewasemergingfrombeneaththePariswhichwaspetrifiedbytheuprising，wherethebarricadeshadsuppressedcirculation，andthathewasenteringbeneaththelivingandnormalParis。Overheadhesuddenlyheardanoiseasofthunder，distantbutcontinuous。Itwastherumblingofvehicles。

Hehadbeenwalkingforabouthalfanhour，atleastaccordingtothecalculationwhichhemadeinhisownmind，andhehadnotyetthoughtofrest；hehadmerelychangedthehandwithwhichhewasholdingMarius。Thedarknesswasmoreprofoundthanever，butitsverydepthreassuredhim。

Allatonce，hesawhisshadowinfrontofhim。Itwasoutlinedonafaint，almostindistinctreddishglow，whichvaguelyempurpledtheflooringvaultunderfoot，andthevaultoverhead，andgildedtohisrightandtohisleftthetwoviscouswallsofthepassage。

Stupefied，heturnedround。

Behindhim，intheportionofthepassagewhichhehadjustpassedthrough，atadistancewhichappearedtohimimmense，piercingthedenseobscurity，flamedasortofhorriblestarwhichhadtheairofsurveyinghim。

Itwasthegloomystarofthepolicewhichwasrisinginthesewer。

Intherearofthatstareightortenformsweremovingaboutinaconfusedway，black，upright，indistinct，horrible。

CHAPTERII

EXPLANATION

OnthedayofthesixthofJune，abattueofthesewershadbeenordered。

Itwasfearedthatthevanquishedmighthavetakentothemforrefuge，andPrefectGisquetwastosearchoccultPariswhileGeneralBugeaudsweptpublicParis；adoubleandconnectedoperationwhichexactedadoublestrategyonthepartofthepublicforce，representedabovebythearmyandbelowbythepolice。ThreesquadsofagentsandsewermenexploredthesubterraneandrainofParis，thefirstontherightbank，thesecondontheleftbank，thethirdinthecity。Theagentsofpolicewerearmedwithcarabines，withbludgeons，swordsandpoignards。

ThatwhichwasdirectedatJeanValjeanatthatmoment，wasthelanternofthepatroloftherightbank。

ThispatrolhadjustvisitedthecurvinggalleryandthethreeblindalleyswhichliebeneaththeRueduCadran。Whiletheywerepassingtheirlanternthroughthedepthsoftheseblindalleys，JeanValjeanhadencounteredonhispaththeentrancetothegallery，hadperceivedthatitwasnarrowerthantheprincipalpassageandhadnotpenetratedthither。Hehadpassedon。Thepolice，onemergingfromthegalleryduCadran，hadfanciedthattheyheardthesoundoffootstepsinthedirectionofthebeltsewer。

Theywere，infact，thestepsofJeanValjean。Thesergeantincommandofthepatrolhadraisedhislantern，andthesquadhadbeguntogazeintothemistinthedirectionwhencethesoundproceeded。

ThiswasanindescribablemomentforJeanValjean。

Happily，ifhesawthelanternwell，thelanternsawhimbutill。

Itwaslightandhewasshadow。Hewasveryfaroff，andmingledwiththedarknessoftheplace。Hehuggedthewallandhalted。

Moreover，hedidnotunderstandwhatitwasthatwasmovingbehindhim。

Thelackofsleepandfood，andhisemotionshadcausedhimalsotopassintothestateofavisionary。Hebeheldagleam，andaroundthatgleam，forms。Whatwasit？Hedidnotcomprehend。

JeanValjeanhavingpaused，thesoundceased。

Themenofthepatrollistened，andheardnothing，theylookedandsawnothing。Theyheldaconsultation。

ThereexistedatthatepochatthispointoftheMontmartresewerasortofcross—roadscalleddeservice，whichwasafterwardssuppressed，onaccountofthelittleinteriorlakewhichformedthere，swallowingupthetorrentofraininheavystorms。

Thepatrolcouldformaclusterinthisopenspace。JeanValjeansawthesespectresformasortofcircle。Thesebull—dogs’

headsapproachedeachothercloselyandwhisperedtogether。

Theresultofthiscouncilheldbythewatchdogswas，thattheyhadbeenmistaken，thattherehadbeennonoise，thatitwasuselesstogetentangledinthebeltsewer，thatitwouldonlybeawasteoftime，butthattheyoughttohastentowardsSaint—Merry；

thatiftherewasanythingtodo，andany"bousingot"totrackout，itwasinthatquarter。

Fromtimetotime，partiesre—soletheiroldinsults。In1832，thewordbousingotformedtheinterimbetweenthewordjacobin，whichhadbecomeobsolete，andtheworddemagoguewhichhassincerenderedsuchexcellentservice。

Thesergeantgaveorderstoturntotheleft，towardsthewatershedoftheSeine。

Ifithadoccurredtothemtoseparateintotwosquads，andtogoinbothdirections，JeanValjeanwouldhavebeencaptured。

Allhungonthatthread。Itisprobablethattheinstructionsoftheprefecture，foreseeingapossibilityofcombatandinsurgentsinforce，hadforbiddenthepatroltopartcompany。

Thepatrolresumeditsmarch，leavingJeanValjeanbehindit。

Ofallthismovement，JeanValjeanperceivednothing，excepttheeclipseofthelanternwhichsuddenlywheeledround。

Beforetakinghisdeparture，theSergeant，inordertoacquithispoliceman’sconscience，dischargedhisguninthedirectionofJeanValjean。Thedetonationrolledfromechotoechointhecrypt，liketherumblingofthattitanicentrail。AbitofplasterwhichfellintothestreamandsplashedupthewaterafewpacesawayfromJeanValjean，warnedhimthattheballhadstruckthearchoverhishead。

Slowandmeasuredstepsresoundedforsometimeonthetimberwork，graduallydyingawayastheyretreatedtoagreaterdistance；

thegroupofblackformsvanished，aglimmeroflightoscillatedandfloated，communicatingtothevaultareddishglowwhichgrewfainter，thendisappeared；thesilencebecameprofoundoncemore，theobscuritybecamecomplete，blindnessanddeafnessresumedpossessionoftheshadows；andJeanValjean，notdaringtostirasyet，remainedforalongtimeleaningwithhisbackagainstthewall，withstrainingears，anddilatedpupils，watchingthedisappearanceofthatphantompatrol。

CHAPTERIII

THE"SPUN"MAN

Thisjusticemustberenderedtothepoliceofthatperiod，thateveninthemostseriouspublicjunctures，itimperturbablyfulfilleditsdutiesconnectedwiththesewersandsurveillance。

Arevoltwas，initseyes，nopretextforallowingmalefactorstotakethebitintheirownmouths，andforneglectingsocietyforthereasonthatthegovernmentwasinperil。Theordinaryservicewasperformedcorrectlyincompanywiththeextraordinaryservice，andwasnottroubledbythelatter。Inthemidstofanincalculablepoliticaleventalreadybegun，underthepressureofapossiblerevolution，apoliceagent，"spun"athiefwithoutallowinghimselftobedistractedbyinsurrectionandbarricades。

Itwassomethingpreciselyparallelwhichtookplaceontheafternoonofthe6thofJuneonthebanksoftheSeine，ontheslopeoftherightshore，alittlebeyondthePontdesInvalides。

Thereisnolongeranybanktherenow。Theaspectofthelocalityhaschanged。

Onthatbank，twomen，separatedbyacertaindistance，seemedtobewatchingeachotherwhilemutuallyavoidingeachother。Theonewhowasinadvancewastryingtogetaway，theoneintherearwastryingtoovertaketheother。

Itwaslikeagameofcheckersplayedatadistanceandinsilence。

Neitherseemedtobeinanyhurry，andbothwalkedslowly，asthougheachofthemfearedbytoomuchhastetomakehispartnerredoublehispace。

Onewouldhavesaidthatitwasanappetitefollowingitsprey，andpurposelywithoutwearingtheairofdoingso。Thepreywascraftyandonitsguard。

Theproperrelationsbetweenthehuntedpole—catandthehuntingdogwereobserved。Theonewhowasseekingtoescapehadaninsignificantmienandnotanimpressiveappearance；theonewhowasseekingtoseizehimwasrudeofaspect，andmusthavebeenrudetoencounter。

Thefirst，consciousthathewasthemorefeeble，avoidedthesecond；

butheavoidedhiminamannerwhichwasdeeplyfurious；anyonewhocouldhaveobservedhimwouldhavediscernedinhiseyesthesombrehostilityofflight，andallthemenacethatfearcontains。

Theshorewasdeserted；therewerenopassers—by；notevenaboatmannoralighter—manwasintheskiffswhichweremooredhereandthere。

Itwasnoteasytoseethesetwom

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