第52章

Whereweretheyallthen？wasitreallytruethatallweredead？

Afallintotheshadowshadcarriedoffallexcepthimself。

Itallseemedtohimtohavedisappearedasthoughbehindthecurtainofatheatre。Therearecurtainslikethiswhichdropinlife。

Godpassesontothefollowingact。

Andhehimself——washeactuallythesameman？He，thepoorman，wasrich；he，theabandoned，hadafamily；he，thedespairing，wastomarryCosette。Itseemedtohimthathehadtraversedatomb，andthathehadenteredintoitblackandhademergedfromitwhite，andinthattombtheothershadremained。Atcertainmoments，allthesebeingsofthepast，returnedandpresent，formedacirclearoundhim，andovershadowedhim；thenhethoughtofCosette，andrecoveredhisserenity；butnothinglessthanthisfelicitycouldhavesufficedtoeffacethatcatastrophe。

M。Faucheleventalmostoccupiedaplaceamongthesevanishedbeings。

MariushesitatedtobelievethattheFaucheleventofthebarricadewasthesameasthisFaucheleventinfleshandblood，sittingsogravelybesideCosette。Thefirstwas，probably，oneofthosenightmaresoccasionedandbroughtbackbyhishoursofdelirium。

However，thenaturesofbothmenwererigid，noquestionfromMariustoM。Faucheleventwaspossible。Suchanideahadnotevenoccurredtohim。Wehavealreadyindicatedthischaracteristicdetail。

Twomenwhohaveasecretincommon，andwho，byasortoftacitagreement，exchangenotawordonthesubject，arelessrarethaniscommonlysupposed。

Onceonly，didMariusmaketheattempt。HeintroducedintotheconversationtheRuedelaChanvrerie，and，turningtoM。Fauchelevent，hesaidtohim:

"Ofcourse，youareacquaintedwiththatstreet？"

"Whatstreet？"

"TheRuedelaChanvrerie。"

"Ihavenoideaofthenameofthatstreet，"repliedM。Fauchelevent，inthemostnaturalmannerintheworld。

Theresponsewhichboreuponthenameofthestreetandnotuponthestreetitself，appearedtoMariustobemoreconclusivethanitreallywas。

"Decidedly，"thoughthe，"Ihavebeendreaming。Ihavebeensubjecttoahallucination。Itwassomeonewhoresembledhim。

M。Faucheleventwasnotthere。"’

CHAPTERVIII

TWOMENIMPOSSIBLETOFIND

Marius’enchantment，greatasitwas，couldnoteffacefromhismindotherpre—occupations。

Whiletheweddingwasinpreparation，andwhileawaitingthedatefixedupon，hecauseddifficultandscrupulousretrospectiveresearchestobemade。

Heowedgratitudeinvariousquarters；

heoweditonhisfather’saccount，heoweditonhisown。

TherewasThenardier；therewastheunknownmanwhohadbroughthim，Marius，backtoM。Gillenormand。

Mariusendeavoredtofindthesetwomen，notintendingtomarry，tobehappy，andtoforgetthem，andfearingthat，werethesedebtsofgratitudenotdischarged，theywouldleaveashadowonhislife，whichpromisedsobrightlyforthefuture。

Itwasimpossibleforhimtoleaveallthesearrearsofsufferingbehindhim，andhewished，beforeenteringjoyouslyintothefuture，toobtainaquittancefromthepast。

ThatThenardierwasavillaindetractednothingfromthefactthathehadsavedColonelPontmercy。ThenardierwasaruffianintheeyesofalltheworldexceptMarius。

AndMarius，ignorantoftherealsceneinthebattlefieldofWaterloo，wasnotawareofthepeculiardetail，thathisfather，sofarasThenardierwasconcernedwasinthestrangepositionofbeingindebtedtothelatterforhislife，withoutbeingindebtedtohimforanygratitude。

NoneofthevariousagentswhomMariusemployedsucceededindiscoveringanytraceofThenardier。Obliterationappearedtobecompleteinthatquarter。MadameThenardierhaddiedinprisonpendingthetrial。ThenardierandhisdaughterAzelma，theonlytworemainingofthatlamentablegroup，hadplungedbackintothegloom。

Thegulfofthesocialunknownhadsilentlyclosedabovethosebeings。

Onthesurfacetherewasnotvisiblesomuchasthatquiver，thattrembling，thoseobscureconcentriccircleswhichannouncethatsomethinghasfallenin，andthattheplummetmaybedropped。

MadameThenardierbeingdead，Boulatruellebeingeliminatedfromthecase，Claquesoushavingdisappeared，theprincipalpersonsaccusedhavingescapedfromprison，thetrialconnectedwiththeambushintheGorbeauhousehadcometonothing。

Thataffairhadremainedratherobscure。ThebenchofAssizeshadbeenobligedtocontentthemselveswithtwosubordinates。Panchaud，aliasPrintanier，aliasBigrenaille，andDemi—Liard，aliasDeux—Milliards，whohadbeeninconsistentlycondemned，afterahearingofbothsidesofthecase，totenyearsinthegalleys。Hardlaborforlifehadbeenthesentencepronouncedagainsttheescapedandcontumaciousaccomplices。

Thenardier，theheadandleader，hadbeen，throughcontumacy，likewisecondemnedtodeath。

ThissentencewastheonlyinformationremainingaboutThenardier，castinguponthatburiednameitssinisterlightlikeacandlebesideabier。

Moreover，bythrustingThenardierbackintotheveryremotestdepths，throughafearofbeingre—captured，thissentenceaddedtothedensityoftheshadowswhichenvelopedthisman。

Asfortheotherperson，asfortheunknownmanwhohadsavedMarius，theresearcheswereatfirsttosomeextentsuccessful，thencametoanabruptconclusion。TheysucceededinfindingthecarriagewhichhadbroughtMariustotheRuedesFilles—du—Calvaireontheeveningofthe6thofJune。

Thecoachmandeclaredthat，onthe6thofJune，inobediencetothecommandsofapolice—agent，hehadstoodfromthreeo’clockintheafternoonuntilnightfallontheQuaidesChamps—Elysees，abovetheoutletoftheGrandSewer；that，towardsnineo’clockintheevening，thegratingofthesewer，whichabutsonthebankoftheriver，hadopened；thatamanhademergedtherefrom，bearingonhisshouldersanotherman，whoseemedtobedead；thattheagent，whowasonthewatchatthatpoint，hadarrestedthelivingmanandhadseizedthedeadman；that，attheorderofthepolice—agent，he，thecoachman，hadtaken"allthosefolks"intohiscarriage；

thattheyhadfirstdriventotheRuedesFilles—du—Calvaire；

thattheyhadtheredepositedthedeadman；thatthedeadmanwasMonsieurMarius，andthathe，thecoachman，recognizedhimperfectly，althoughhewasalive"thistime"；thatafterwards，theyhadenteredthevehicleagain，thathehadwhippeduphishorses；

afewpacesfromthegateoftheArchives，theyhadcalledtohimtohalt；thatthere，inthestreet，theyhadpaidhimandlefthim，andthatthepolice—agenthadledtheothermanaway；thatheknewnothingmore；thatthenighthadbeenverydark。

Marius，aswehavesaid，recallednothing。Heonlyrememberedthathehadbeenseizedfrombehindbyanenergetichandatthemomentwhenhewasfallingbackwardsintothebarricade；

then，everythingvanishedsofarashewasconcerned。

HehadonlyregainedconsciousnessatM。Gillenormand’s。

Hewaslostinconjectures。

Hecouldnotdoubthisownidentity。Still，howhaditcometopassthat，havingfallenintheRuedelaChanvrerie，hehadbeenpickedupbythepolice—agentonthebanksoftheSeine，nearthePontdesInvalides？

SomeonehadcarriedhimfromtheQuartierdesHallestotheChamps—Elysees。Andhow？Throughthesewer。Unheard—ofdevotion！

Someone？Who？

ThiswasthemanforwhomMariuswassearching。

Ofthisman，whowashissavior，nothing；notatrace；notthefaintestindication。

Marius，althoughforcedtopreservegreatreserve，inthatdirection，pushedhisinquiriesasfarastheprefectureofpolice。There，nomorethanelsewhere，didtheinformationobtainedleadtoanyenlightenment。

Theprefectureknewlessaboutthematterthandidthehackney—coachman。Theyhadnoknowledgeofanyarresthavingbeenmadeonthe6thofJuneatthemouthoftheGrandSewer。

Noreportofanyagenthadbeenreceivedthereuponthismatter，whichwasregardedattheprefectureasafable。Theinventionofthisfablewasattributedtothecoachman。

Acoachmanwhowantsagratuityiscapableofanything，evenofimagination。Thefactwasassured，nevertheless，andMariuscouldnotdoubtit，unlesshedoubtedhisownidentity，aswehavejustsaid。

Everythingaboutthissingularenigmawasinexplicable。

Whathadbecomeofthatman，thatmysteriousman，whomthecoachmanhadseenemergefromthegratingoftheGrandSewerbearinguponhisbacktheunconsciousMarius，andwhomthepolice—agentonthewatchhadarrestedintheveryactofrescuinganinsurgent？

Whathadbecomeoftheagenthimself？

Whyhadthisagentpreservedsilence？Hadthemansucceededinmakinghisescape？Hadhebribedtheagent？WhydidthismangivenosignoflifetoMarius，whoowedeverythingtohim？

Hisdisinterestednesswasnolesstremendousthanhisdevotion。

Whyhadnotthatmanappearedagain？Perhapshewasabovecompensation，butnooneisabovegratitude。Washedead？Whowastheman？

Whatsortofafacehadhe？Noonecouldtellhimthis。

Thecoachmananswered:"Thenightwasverydark。"BasqueandNicolette，allinaflutter，hadlookedonlyattheiryoungmasterallcoveredwithblood。

Theporter，whosecandlehadlightedthetragicarrivalofMarius，hadbeentheonlyonetotakenoteofthemaninquestion，andthisisthedescriptionthathegave:

"Thatmanwasterrible。"

Mariushadtheblood—stainedclothingwhichhehadwornwhenhehadbeenbroughtbacktohisgrandfatherpreserved，inthehopethatitwouldproveofserviceinhisresearches。

Onexaminingthecoat，itwasfoundthatoneskirthadbeentorninasingularway。Apiecewasmissing。

Oneevening，MariuswasspeakinginthepresenceofCosetteandJeanValjeanofthewholeofthatsingularadventure，oftheinnumerableinquirieswhichhehadmade，andofthefruitlessnessofhisefforts。

Thecoldcountenanceof"MonsieurFauchelevent"angeredhim。

Heexclaimed，withavivacitywhichhadsomethingofwrathinit:

"Yes，thatman，whoeverhemayhavebeen，wassublime。

Doyouknowwhathedid，sir？Heintervenedlikeanarchangel。

Hemusthaveflunghimselfintothemidstofthebattle，havestolenmeaway，haveopenedthesewer，havedraggedmeintoitandhavecarriedmethroughit！Hemusthavetraversedmorethanaleagueandahalfinthosefrightfulsubterraneangalleries，bentover，weigheddown，inthedark，inthecess—pool，——morethanaleagueandahalf，sir，withacorpseuponhisback！Andwithwhatobject？

Withthesoleobjectofsavingthecorpse。AndthatcorpseIwas。

Hesaidtohimself:`Theremaystillbeaglimpseoflifethere，perchance；Iwillriskmyownexistenceforthatmiserablespark！’

Andhisexistenceheriskednotoncebuttwentytimes！Andeverystepwasadanger。Theproofofitis，thatonemergingfromthesewer，hewasarrested。Doyouknow，sir，thatthatmandidallthis？

Andhehadnorecompensetoexpect。WhatwasI？Aninsurgent。

WhatwasI？Oneoftheconquered。Oh！ifCosette’ssixhundredthousandfrancsweremine……"

"Theyareyours，"interruptedJeanValjean。

"Well，"resumedMarius，"Iwouldgivethemalltofindthatmanoncemore。"

JeanValjeanremainedsilent。

BOOKSIXTH。——THESLEEPLESSNIGHT

CHAPTERI

THE16THOFFEBRUARY，1833

Thenightofthe16thtothe17thofFebruary，1833，wasablessednight。

Aboveitsshadowsheavenstoodopen。ItwastheweddingnightofMariusandCosette。

Thedayhadbeenadorable。

Ithadnotbeenthegrandfestivaldreamedbythegrandfather，afairyspectacle，withaconfusionofcherubimandCupidsovertheheadsofthebridalpair，amarriageworthytoformthesubjectofapaintingtobeplacedoveradoor；butithadbeensweetandsmiling。

Themannerofmarriagein1833wasnotthesameasitisto—day。

FrancehadnotyetborrowedfromEnglandthatsupremedelicacyofcarryingoffone’swife，offleeing，oncomingoutofchurch，ofhidingoneselfwithshamefromone’shappiness，andofcombiningthewaysofabankruptwiththedelightsoftheSongofSongs。

Peoplehadnotyetgraspedtothefullthechastity，exquisiteness，anddecencyofjoltingtheirparadiseinaposting—chaise，ofbreakinguptheirmysterywithclic—clacs，oftakingforanuptialbedthebedofaninn，andofleavingbehindthem，inacommonplacechamber，atsomuchanight，themostsacredofthesouvenirsoflifemingledpell—mellwiththetete—a—teteoftheconductorofthediligenceandthemaid—servantoftheinn。

Inthissecondhalfofthenineteenthcenturyinwhichwearenowliving，themayorandhisscarf，thepriestandhischasuble，thelawandGodnolongersuffice；theymustbeekedoutbythePostiliondeLonjumeau；

abluewaistcoatturnedupwithred，andwithbellbuttons，aplaquelikeavantbrace，knee—breechesofgreenleather，oathstotheNormanhorseswiththeirtailsknottedup，falsegalloons，varnishedhat，longpowderedlocks，anenormouswhipandtallboots。

FrancedoesnotyetcarryelegancetothelengthofdoingliketheEnglishnobility，andrainingdownonthepost—chaiseofthebridalpairahailstormofslipperstroddendownatheelandofworn—outshoes，inmemoryofChurchill，afterwardsMarlborough，orMalbrouck，whowasassailedonhiswedding—daybythewrathofanauntwhichbroughthimgoodluck。Oldshoesandslippersdonot，asyet，formapartofournuptialcelebrations；butpatience，asgoodtastecontinuestospread，weshallcometothat。

In1833，ahundredyearsago，marriagewasnotconductedatafulltrot。

Strangetosay，atthatepoch，peoplestillimaginedthataweddingwasaprivateandsocialfestival，thatapatriarchalbanquetdoesnotspoiladomesticsolemnity，thatgayety，eveninexcess，provideditbehonest，anddecent，doeshappinessnoharm，andthat，inshort，itisagoodandavenerablethingthatthefusionofthesetwodestinieswhenceafamilyisdestinedtospring，shouldbeginathome，andthatthehouseholdshouldthenceforthhaveitsnuptialchamberasitswitness。

Andpeopleweresoimmodestastomarryintheirownhomes。

Themarriagetookplace，therefore，inaccordancewiththisnowsuperannuatedfashion，atM。Gillenormand’shouse。

Naturalandcommonplaceasthismatterofmarryingis，thebannstopublish，thepaperstobedrawnup，themayoralty，andthechurchproducesomecomplication。Theycouldnotgetreadybeforethe16thofFebruary。

Now，wenotethisdetail，forthepuresatisfactionofbeingexact，itchancedthatthe16thfellonShroveTuesday。Hesitations，scruples，particularlyonthepartofAuntGillenormand。

"ShroveTuesday！"exclaimedthegrandfather，"somuchthebetter。

Thereisaproverb:

"`MariageunMardigrasN’aurapointenfantsingrats。’[66]

[66]"AShrove—Tuesdaymarriagewillhavenoungratefulchildren。"

Letusproceed。Heregoesforthe16th！Doyouwanttodelay，Marius？"

"No，certainlynot！"repliedthelover。

"Letusmarry，then，"criedthegrandfather。

Accordingly，themarriagetookplaceonthe16th，notwithstandingthepublicmerrymaking。Itrainedthatday，butthereisalwaysintheskyatinyscrapofblueattheserviceofhappiness，whichloverssee，evenwhentherestofcreationisunderanumbrella。

Ontheprecedingevening，JeanValjeanhandedtoMarius，inthepresenceofM。Gillenormand，thefivehundredandeighty—fourthousandfrancs。

Asthemarriagewastakingplaceundertheregimeofcommunityofproperty，thepapershadbeensimple。

Henceforth，ToussaintwasofnousetoJeanValjean；Cosetteinheritedherandpromotedhertotherankoflady’smaid。

AsforJeanValjean，abeautifulchamberintheGillenormandhousehadbeenfurnishedexpresslyforhim，andCosettehadsaidtohiminsuchanirresistiblemanner:"Father，Ientreatyou，"

thatshehadalmostpersuadedhimtopromisethathewouldcomeandoccupyit。

Afewdaysbeforethatfixedonforthemarriage，anaccidenthappenedtoJeanValjean；hecrushedthethumbofhisrighthand。

Thiswasnotaseriousmatter；andhehadnotallowedanyonetotroublehimselfaboutit，nortodressit，noreventoseehishurt，notevenCosette。Nevertheless，thishadforcedhimtoswathehishandinalinenbandage，andtocarryhisarminasling，andhadpreventedhissigning。M。Gillenormand，inhiscapacityofCosette’ssupervising—guardian，hadsuppliedhisplace。

Wewillnotconductthereadereithertothemayor’sofficeortothechurch。Onedoesnotfollowapairofloverstothatextent，andoneisaccustomedtoturnone’sbackonthedramaassoonasitputsaweddingnosegayinitsbuttonhole。Wewillconfineourselvestonotinganincidentwhich，thoughunnoticedbytheweddingparty，markedthetransitfromtheRuedesFilles—du—CalvairetothechurchofSaint—Paul。

Atthatepoch，thenorthernextremityoftheRueSaint—Louiswasinprocessofrepaving。Itwasbarredoff，beginningwiththeRueduPare—Royal。ItwasimpossiblefortheweddingcarriagestogodirectlytoSaint—Paul。Theywereobligedtoaltertheircourse，andthesimplestwaywastoturnthroughtheboulevard。OneoftheinvitedguestsobservedthatitwasShroveTuesday，andthattherewouldbeajamofvehicles。——"Why？"askedM。Gillenormand——"Becauseofthemaskers。"——

"Capital，"saidthegrandfather，"letusgothatway。Theseyoungfolksareonthewaytobemarried；theyareabouttoentertheseriouspartoflife。Thiswillpreparethemforseeingabitofthemasquerade。"

Theywentbywayoftheboulevard。ThefirstweddingcoachheldCosetteandAuntGillenormand，M。GillenormandandJeanValjean。

Marius，stillseparatedfromhisbetrothedaccordingtousage，didnotcomeuntilthesecond。Thenuptialtrain，onemergingfromtheRuedesFilles—du—Calvaire，becameentangledinalongprocessionofvehicleswhichformedanendlesschainfromtheMadeleinetotheBastille，andfromtheBastilletotheMadeleine。

Maskersaboundedontheboulevard。Inspiteofthefactthatitwasrainingatintervals，Merry—Andrew，PantaloonandClownpersisted。

Inthegoodhumorofthatwinterof1833，ParishaddisguiseditselfasVenice。SuchShroveTuesdaysarenolongertobeseennow—a—days。EverythingwhichexistsbeingascatteredCarnival，thereisnolongeranyCarnival。

Thesidewalkswereoverflowingwithpedestriansandthewindowswithcuriousspectators。Theterraceswhichcrowntheperistylesofthetheatreswereborderedwithspectators。Besidesthemaskers，theystaredatthatprocession——peculiartoShroveTuesdayastoLongchamps，——

ofvehiclesofeverydescription，citadines，tapissieres，carioles，cabrioletsmarchinginorder，rigorouslyrivetedtoeachotherbythepoliceregulations，andlockedintorails，asitwere。

Anyoneinthesevehiclesisatonceaspectatorandaspectacle。

Police—sergeantsmaintained，onthesidesoftheboulevard，thesetwointerminableparallelfiles，movingincontrarydirections，andsawtoitthatnothin

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