第51章

BOOKFIFTH。——GRANDSONANDGRANDFATHER

CHAPTERI

INWHICHTHETREEWITHTHEZINCPLASTERAPPEARSAGAIN

Sometimeaftertheeventswhichwehavejustrecorded，SieurBoulatruelleexperiencedalivelyemotion。

SieurBoulatruellewasthatroad—menderofMontfermeilwhomthereaderhasalreadyseeninthegloomypartsofthisbook。

Boulatruelle，asthereadermay，perchance，recall，wasamanwhowasoccupiedwithdiversandtroublesomematters。Hebrokestonesanddamagedtravellersonthehighway。

Road—menderandthiefashewas，hecherishedonedream；hebelievedinthetreasuresburiedintheforestofMontfermeil。Hehopedsomedaytofindthemoneyintheearthatthefootofatree；

inthemeanwhile，helivedtosearchthepocketsofpassers—by。

Nevertheless，foraninstant，hewasprudent。Hehadjustescapedneatly。Hehadbeen，asthereaderisaware，pickedupinJondrette’sgarretincompanywiththeotherruffians。

Utilityofavice:hisdrunkennesshadbeenhissalvation。

Theauthoritieshadneverbeenabletomakeoutwhetherhehadbeenthereinthequalityofarobberoramanwhohadbeenrobbed。

Anorderofnolleprosequi，foundedonhiswellauthenticatedstateofintoxicationontheeveningoftheambush，hadsethimatliberty。

Hehadtakentohisheels。HehadreturnedtohisroadfromGagnytoLagny，tomake，underadministrativesupervision，brokenstoneforthegoodofthestate，withdowncastmien，inaverypensivemood，hisardorfortheftsomewhatcooled；buthewasaddictednonethelesstenderlytothewinewhichhadrecentlysavedhim。

Asforthelivelyemotionwhichhehadexperiencedashorttimeafterhisreturntohisroad—mender’sturf—thatchedcot，hereitis:

Onemorning，Boulatruelle，whileonhiswayaswashiswont，tohiswork，andpossiblyalsotohisambush，alittlebeforedaybreakcaughtsight，throughthebranchesofthetrees，ofaman，whosebackalonehesaw，buttheshapeofwhoseshoulders，asitseemedtohimatthatdistanceandintheearlydusk，wasnotentirelyunfamiliartohim。Boulatruelle，althoughintoxicated，hadacorrectandlucidmemory，adefensivearmthatisindispensabletoanyonewhoisatallinconflictwithlegalorder。

"WherethedeucehaveIseensomethinglikethatmanyonder？"

hesaidtohimself。Buthecouldmakehimselfnoanswer，exceptthatthemanresembledsomeoneofwhomhismemorypreservedaconfusedtrace。

However，apartfromtheidentitywhichhecouldnotmanagetocatch，Boulatruelleputthingstogetherandmadecalculations。Thismandidnotbelonginthecountry—side。Hehadjustarrivedthere。

Onfoot，evidently。NopublicconveyancepassesthroughMontfermeilatthathour。Hehadwalkedallnight。Whencecamehe？Notfromaverygreatdistance；forhehadneitherhaversack，norbundle。

FromParis，nodoubt。Whywasheinthesewoods？whywashethereatsuchanhour？whathadhecometherefor？

Boulatruellethoughtofthetreasure。Bydintofransackinghismemory，herecalledinavaguewaythathehadalready，manyyearsbefore，hadasimilaralarminconnectionwithamanwhoproducedonhimtheeffectthathemightwellbethisveryindividual。

"Bythedeuce，"saidBoulatruelle，"I’llfindhimagain。

I’lldiscovertheparishofthatparishioner。ThisprowlerofPatron—Minettehasareason，andI’llknowit。Peoplecan’thavesecretsinmyforestifIdon’thaveafingerinthepie。"

Hetookhispick—axewhichwasverysharplypointed。

"Therenow，"hegrumbled，"issomethingthatwillsearchtheearthandaman。"

And，asoneknotsonethreadtoanotherthread，hetookupthelineofmarchathisbestpaceinthedirectionwhichthemanmustfollow，andsetoutacrossthethickets。

Whenhehadcompassedahundredstrides，theday，whichwasalreadybeginningtobreak，cametohisassistance。Footprintsstampedinthesand，weedstroddendownhereandthere，heathercrushed，youngbranchesinthebrushwoodbentandintheactofstraighteningthemselvesupagainwiththegracefuldeliberationofthearmsofaprettywomanwhostretchesherselfwhenshewakes，pointedouttohimasortoftrack。Hefollowedit，thenlostit。Timewasflying。

Heplungeddeeperintothewoodsandcametoasortofeminence。

Anearlyhuntsmanwhowaspassinginthedistancealongapath，whistlingtheairofGuillery，suggestedtohimtheideaofclimbingatree。Oldashewas，hewasagile。Therestoodcloseathandabeech—treeofgreatsize，worthyofTityrusandofBoulatruelle。

Boulatruelleascendedthebeechashighashewasable。

Theideawasagoodone。Onscrutinizingthesolitarywasteonthesidewheretheforestisthoroughlyentangledandwild，Boulatruellesuddenlycaughtsightofhisman。

Hardlyhadhegothiseyeuponhimwhenhelostsightofhim。

Themanentered，orrather，glidedinto，anopenglade，ataconsiderabledistance，maskedbylargetrees，butwithwhichBoulatruellewasperfectlyfamiliar，onaccountofhavingnoticed，nearalargepileofporousstones，anailingchestnut—treebandagedwithasheetofzincnaileddirectlyuponthebark。

ThisgladewastheonewhichwasformerlycalledtheBlaru—bottom。

Theheapofstones，destinedfornooneknowswhatemployment，whichwasvisibletherethirtyyearsago，isdoubtlessstillthere。

Nothingequalsaheapofstonesinlongevity，unlessitisaboardfence。

Theyaretemporaryexpedients。Whatareasonforlasting！

Boulatruelle，withtherapidityofjoy，droppedratherthandescendedfromthetree。Thelairwasunearthed，thequestionnowwastoseizethebeast。Thatfamoustreasureofhisdreamswasprobablythere。

Itwasnosmallmattertoreachthatglade。Bythebeatenpaths，whichindulgeinathousandteasingzigzags，itrequiredagoodquarterofanhour。Inabee—line，throughtheunderbrush，whichispeculiarlydense，verythorny，andveryaggressiveinthatlocality，afullhalfhourwasnecessary。Boulatruellecommittedtheerrorofnotcomprehendingthis。Hebelievedinthestraightline；

arespectableopticalillusionwhichruinsmanyaman。Thethicket，bristlingasitwas，struckhimasthebestroad。

"Let’staketothewolves’RuedeRivoli，"saidhe。

Boulatruelle，accustomedtotakingcrookedcourses，wasonthisoccasionguiltyofthefaultofgoingstraight。

Heflunghimselfresolutelyintothetangleofundergrowth。

Hehadtodealwithhollybushes，nettles，hawthorns，eglantines，thistles，andveryirasciblebrambles。Hewasmuchlacerated。

Atthebottomoftheravinehefoundwaterwhichhewasobligedtotraverse。

AtlasthereachedtheBlaru—bottom，afterthelapseoffortyminutes，sweating，soaked，breathless，scratched，andferocious。

Therewasnooneintheglade。Boulatruellerushedtotheheapofstones。Itwasinitsplace。Ithadnotbeencarriedoff。

Asfortheman，hehadvanishedintheforest。Hehadmadehisescape。

Where？inwhatdirection？intowhatthicket？Impossibletoguess。

And，heartrendingtosay，there，behindthepileofstones，infrontofthetreewiththesheetofzinc，wasfreshlyturnedearth，apick—axe，abandonedorforgotten，andahole。

Theholewasempty。

"Thief！"shriekedBoulatruelle，shakinghisfistatthehorizon。

CHAPTERII

MARIUS，EMERGINGFROMCIVILWAR，MAKESREADYFORDOMESTICWAR

Foralongtime，Mariuswasneitherdeadnoralive。Formanyweekshelayinafeveraccompaniedbydelirium，andbytolerablygravecerebralsymptoms，causedmorebytheshocksofthewoundsontheheadthanbythewoundsthemselves。

HerepeatedCosette’snameforwholenightsinthemelancholyloquacityoffever，andwiththesombreobstinacyofagony。Theextentofsomeofthelesionspresentedaseriousdanger，thesuppurationoflargewoundsbeingalwaysliabletobecomere—absorbed，andconsequently，tokillthesickman，undercertainatmosphericconditions；ateverychangeofweather，attheslighteststorm，thephysicianwasuneasy。

"Aboveallthings，"herepeated，"letthewoundedmanbesubjectedtonoemotion。"Thedressingofthewoundswascomplicatedanddifficult，thefixationofapparatusandbandagesbycereclothsnothavingbeeninventedasyet，atthatepoch。

Nicoletteusedupasheet"asbigastheceiling，"assheputit，forlint。Itwasnotwithoutdifficultythatthechlorurettedlotionsandthenitrateofsilverovercamethegangrene。

Aslongastherewasanydanger，M。Gillenormand，seatedindespairathisgrandson’spillow，was，likeMarius，neitheralivenordead。

Everyday，sometimestwiceaday，averywelldressedgentlemanwithwhitehair，——suchwasthedescriptiongivenbytheporter，——

cametoinquireaboutthewoundedman，andleftalargepackageoflintforthedressings。

Finally，onthe7thofSeptember，fourmonthstoaday，afterthesorrowfulnightwhenhehadbeenbroughtbacktohisgrandfatherinadyingcondition，thedoctordeclaredthathewouldanswerforMarius。Convalescencebegan。ButMariuswasforcedtoremainfortwomonthsmorestretchedoutonalongchair，onaccountoftheresultscalledupbythefractureofhiscollar—bone。Therealwaysisalastwoundlikethatwhichwillnotclose，andwhichprolongsthedressingsindefinitely，tothegreatannoyanceofthesickperson。

However，thislongillnessandthislongconvalescencesavedhimfromallpursuit。InFrance，thereisnowrath，notevenofapubliccharacter，whichsixmonthswillnotextinguish。Revolts，inthepresentstateofsociety，aresomuchthefaultofeveryone，thattheyarefollowedbyacertainnecessityofshuttingtheeyes。

Letusadd，thattheinexcusableGisquetorder，whichenjoineddoctorstolodgeinformationagainstthewounded，havingoutragedpublicopinion，andnotopinionalone，buttheKingfirstofall，thewoundedwerecoveredandprotectedbythisindignation；and，withtheexceptionofthosewhohadbeenmadeprisonersintheveryactofcombat，thecouncilsofwardidnotdaretotroubleanyone。

SoMariuswasleftinpeace。

M。Gillenormandfirstpassedthroughallmannerofanguish，andthenthrougheveryformofecstasy。Itwasfounddifficulttopreventhispassingeverynightbesidethewoundedman；hehadhisbigarm—chaircarriedtoMarius’bedside；herequiredhisdaughtertotakethefinestlineninthehouseforcompressesandbandages。

MademoiselleGillenormand，likeasageandelderlyperson，contrivedtosparethefinelinen，whileallowingthegrandfathertothinkthathewasobeyed。M。Gillenormandwouldnotpermitanyonetoexplaintohim，thatforthepreparationoflintbatisteisnotnearlysogoodascoarselinen，nornewlinenasoldlinen。HewaspresentatallthedressingsofthewoundsfromwhichMademoiselleGillenormandmodestlyabsentedherself。

Whenthedeadfleshwascutawaywithscissors，hesaid:"Aie！aie！"

Nothingwasmoretouchingthantoseehimwithhisgentle，senilepalsy，offerthewoundedmanacupofhiscooling—draught。

Heoverwhelmedthedoctorwithquestions。Hedidnotobservethatheaskedthesameonesoverandoveragain。

OnthedaywhenthedoctorannouncedtohimthatMariuswasoutofdanger，thegoodmanwasinadelirium。Hemadehisporterapresentofthreelouis。Thatevening，onhisreturntohisownchamber，hedancedagavotte，usinghisthumbandforefingerascastanets，andhesangthefollowingsong:

"JeanneestneeaFougere"Amour，tuvisenelle；

Vrainidd’unebergere；Carc’estdanssaprunelleJ’adoresonjupon，Quetumetstoncarquois。

Fripon。Narquois！

"Moi，jelachante，etj’aime，PlusqueDianememe，JeanneetsesdurstetonsBretons。"[61]

[61]"JeannewasbornatFougere，atrueshepherd’snest；Iadoreherpetticoat，therogue。

"Love，thoudwellestinher；For’tisinhereyesthatthouplacestthyquiver，slyscamp！

"Asforme，Isingher，andIlove，morethanDianaherself，JeanneandherfirmBretonbreasts。"

Thenhekneltuponachair，andBasque，whowaswatchinghimthroughthehalf—opendoor，madesurethathewaspraying。

Uptothattime，hehadnotbelievedinGod。

Ateachsucceedingphaseofimprovement，whichbecamemoreandmorepronounced，thegrandfatherraved。Heexecutedamultitudeofmechanicalactionsfullofjoy；heascendedanddescendedthestairs，withoutknowingwhy。Aprettyfemaleneighborwasamazedonemorningatreceivingabigbouquet；itwasM。Gillenormandwhohadsentittoher。Thehusbandmadeajealousscene。M。GillenormandtriedtodrawNicoletteuponhisknees。HecalledMarius，"M。leBaron。"

Heshouted:"LonglivetheRepublic！"

Everymoment，hekeptaskingthedoctor:"Ishenolongerindanger？"

HegazeduponMariuswiththeeyesofagrandmother。Hebroodedoverhimwhileheate。Henolongerknewhimself，henolongerrenderedhimselfanaccountofhimself。Mariuswasthemasterofthehouse，therewasabdicationinhisjoy，hewasthegrandsonofhisgrandson。

Inthestateofjoyinwhichhethenwas，hewasthemostvenerableofchildren。Inhisfearlesthemightfatigueorannoytheconvalescent，hesteppedbehindhimtosmile。Hewascontent，joyous，delighted，charming，young。Hiswhitelocksaddedagentlemajestytothegayradianceofhisvisage。Whengraceismingledwithwrinkles，itisadorable。Thereisanindescribableaurorainbeamingoldage。

AsforMarius，asheallowedthemtodresshiswoundsandcareforhim，hehadbutonefixedidea:Cosette。

Afterthefeveranddeliriumhadlefthim，hedidnotagainpronouncehername，anditmighthavebeensupposedthathenolongerthoughtofher。Heheldhispeace，preciselybecausehissoulwasthere。

HedidnotknowwhathadbecomeofCosette；thewholeaffairoftheRuedelaChanvreriewaslikeacloudinhismemory；shadowsthatwerealmostindistinct，floatedthroughhismind，Eponine，Gavroche，Mabeuf，theThenardiers，allhisfriendsgloomilyintermingledwiththesmokeofthebarricade；thestrangepassageofM。Faucheleventthroughthatadventureproducedonhimtheeffectofapuzzleinatempest；

heunderstoodnothingconnectedwithhisownlife，hedidnotknowhownorbywhomhehadbeensaved，andnooneofthosearoundhimknewthis；allthattheyhadbeenabletotellhimwas，thathehadbeenbroughthomeatnightinahackney—coach，totheRuedesFilles—du—Calvaire；past，present，futurewerenothingmoretohimthanthemistofavagueidea；butinthatfogtherewasoneimmovablepoint，oneclearandpreciseoutline，somethingmadeofgranite，aresolution，awill；tofindCosetteoncemore。

Forhim，theideaoflifewasnotdistinctfromtheideaofCosette。

Hehaddecreedinhisheartthathewouldnotaccepttheonewithouttheother，andhewasimmovablyresolvedtoexactofanypersonwhatever，whoshoulddesiretoforcehimtolive，——fromhisgrandfather，fromfate，fromhell，——therestitutionofhisvanishedEden。

Hedidnotconcealfromhimselfthefactthatobstaclesexisted。

Letushereemphasizeonedetail，hewasnotwonoverandwasbutlittlesoftenedbyallthesolicitudeandtendernessofhisgrandfather。

Inthefirstplace，hewasnotinthesecret；then，inhisreveriesofaninvalid，whichwerestillfeverish，possibly，hedistrustedthistendernessasastrangeandnovelthing，whichhadforitsobjecthisconquest。Heremainedcold。Thegrandfatherabsolutelywastedhispooroldsmile。Mariussaidtohimselfthatitwasallrightsolongashe，Marius，didnotspeak，andletthingstaketheircourse；butthatwhenitbecameaquestionofCosette，hewouldfindanotherface，andthathisgrandfather’strueattitudewouldbeunmasked。Thentherewouldbeanunpleasantscene；

arecrudescenceoffamilyquestions，aconfrontationofpositions，everysortofsarcasmandallmannerofobjectionsatoneandthesametime，Fauchelevent，Coupelevent，fortune，poverty，astoneabouthisneck，thefuture。Violentresistance；conclusion:arefusal。

Mariusstiffenedhimselfinadvance。

Andthen，inproportionasheregainedlife，theoldulcersofhismemoryopenedoncemore，hereflectedagainonthepast，ColonelPontmercyplacedhimselfoncemorebetweenM。Gillenormandandhim，Marius，hetoldhimselfthathehadnotruekindnesstoexpectfromapersonwhohadbeensounjustandsohardtohisfather。

Andwithhealth，therereturnedtohimasortofharshnesstowardshisgrandfather。Theoldmanwasgentlypainedbythis。

M。Gillenormand，withouthoweverallowingittoappear，observedthatMarius，eversincethelatterhadbeenbroughtbacktohimandhadregainedconsciousness，hadnotoncecalledhimfather。

Itistruethathedidnotsay"monsieur"tohim；buthecontrivednottosayeithertheoneortheother，bymeansofacertainwayofturninghisphrases。Obviously，acrisiswasapproaching。

Asalmostalwayshappensinsuchcases，Mariusskirmishedbeforegivingbattle，bywayofprovinghimself。Thisiscalled"feelingtheground。"OnemorningitcametopassthatM。GillenormandspokeslightinglyoftheConvention，aproposofanewspaperwhichhadfallenintohishands，andgaveventtoaRoyalistharangueonDanton，Saint—JusteandRobespierre。——"Themenof’93weregiants，"

saidMariuswithseverity。Theoldmanheldhispeace，andutterednotasoundduringtheremainderofthatday。

Marius，whohadalwayspresenttohismindtheinflexiblegrandfatherofhisearlyyears，interpretedthissilenceasaprofoundconcentrationofwrath，auguredfromitahotconflict，andaugmentedhispreparationsforthefrayintheinmostrecessesofhismind。

Hedecidedthat，incaseofarefusal，hewouldtearoffhisbandages，dislocatehiscollar—bone，thathewouldlaybareallthewoundswhichhehadleft，andwouldrejectallfood。Hiswoundswerehismunitionsofwar。HewouldhaveCosetteordie。

Heawaitedthepropitiousmomentwiththecraftypatienceofthesick。

Thatmomentarrived。

CHAPTERIII

MARIUSATTACKED

Oneday，M。Gillenormand，whilehisdaughterwasputtinginorderthephialsandcupsonthemarbleofthecommode，bentoverMariusandsaidtohiminhistenderestaccents:"Lookhere，mylittleMarius，ifIwereinyourplace，Iwouldeatmeatnowinpreferencetofish。

Afriedsoleisexcellenttobeginaconvalescencewith，butagoodcutletisneededtoputasickmanonhisfeet。"

Marius，whohadalmostentirelyrecoveredhisstrength，collectedthewholeofit，drewhimselfupintoasittingposture，laidhistwoclenchedfistsonthesheetsofhisbed，lookedhisgrandfatherintheface，assumedaterribleair，andsaid:

"Thisleadsmetosaysomethingtoyou。"

"Whatisit？"

"ThatIwishtomarry。"

"Agreed，"saidhisgrandfather。——Andheburstoutlaughing。

"Howagreed？"

"Yes，agreed。Youshallhaveyourlittlegirl。"

Marius，stunnedandoverwhelmedwiththedazzlingshock，trembledineverylimb。

M。Gillenormandwenton:

"Yes，youshallhaveher，thatprettylittlegirlofyours。

Shecomeseverydayintheshapeofanoldgentlemantoinquireafteryou。Eversinceyouwerewounded，shehaspassedhertimeinweepingandmakinglint。Ihavemadeinquiries。ShelivesintheRuedel’HommeArme，No。7。Ah！Therewehaveit！

Ah！soyouwanther！Well，youshallhaveher。You’recaught。

Youhadarrangedyourlittleplot，youhadsaidtoyourself:——`I’mgoingtosignifythissquarelytomygrandfather，tothatmummyoftheRegencyandoftheDirectory，tothatancientbeau，tothatDoranteturnedGeronte；hehasindulgedinhisfrivolitiesalso，thathehas，andhehashadhisloveaffairs，andhisgrisettesandhisCosettes；hehasmadehisrustle，hehashadhiswings，hehaseatenofthebreadofspring；hecertainlymustrememberit。’

Ah！youtakethecockchaferbythehorns。That’sgood。Iofferyouacutletandyouanswerme:`Bytheway，Iwanttomarry。’

There’satransitionforyou！Ah！youreck

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