按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The one on the floor was the colonel。
The other two were the doctor； and the priest； who was engaged in prayer。
The colonel had been attacked by brain fever three days previously。 As he had a foreboding of evil at the very beginning of his illness； he had written to M。 Gillenormand to demand his son。
The malady had grown worse。
On the very evening of Marius' arrival at Vernon； the colonel had had an attack of delirium； he had risen from his bed； in spite of the servant's efforts to prevent him； crying：
〃My son is not ing！
I shall go to meet him！〃
Then he ran out of his room and fell prostrate on the floor of the antechamber。
He had just expired。
The doctor had been summoned； and the cure。
The doctor had arrived too late。
The son had also arrived too late。
By the dim light of the candle； a large tear could be distinguished on the pale and prostrate colonel's cheek； where it had trickled from his dead eye。
The eye was extinguished； but the tear was not yet dry。
That tear was his son's delay。
Marius gazed upon that man whom he beheld for the first time； on that venerable and manly face； on those open eyes which saw not； on those white locks； those robust limbs； on which； here and there； brown lines； marking sword…thrusts； and a sort of red stars； which indicated bullet…holes； were visible。
He contemplated that gigantic sear which stamped heroism on that countenance upon which God had imprinted goodness。
He reflected that this man was his father； and that this man was dead； and a chill ran over him。
The sorrow which he felt was the sorrow which he would have felt in the presence of any other man whom he had chanced to behold stretched out in death。
Anguish； poignant anguish； was in that chamber。
The servant…woman was lamenting in a corner； the cure was praying； and his sobs were audible； the doctor was wiping his eyes； the corpse itself was weeping。
The doctor； the priest； and the woman gazed at Marius in the midst of their affliction without uttering a word； he was the stranger there。
Marius； who was far too little affected； felt ashamed and embarrassed at his own attitude； he held his hat in his hand； and he dropped it on the floor； in order to produce the impression that grief had deprived him of the strength to hold it。
At the same time； he experienced remorse； and he despised himself for behaving in this manner。
But was it his fault？
He did not love his father？
Why should he！
The colonel had left nothing。
The sale of big furniture barely paid the expenses of his burial。
The servant found a scrap of paper； which she handed to Marius。 It contained the following； in the colonel's handwriting：
〃For my son。The Emperor made me a Baron on the battle…field of Waterloo。
Since the Restoration disputes my right to this title which I purchased with my blood； my son shall take it and bear it。 That he will be worthy of it is a matter of course。〃
Below； the colonel had added：
〃At that same battle of Waterloo； a sergeant saved my life。 The man's name was Thenardier。
I think that he has recently been keeping a little inn； in a village in the neighborhood of Paris； at Chelles or Montfermeil。
If my son meets him； he will do all the good he can to Thenardier。〃
Marius took this paper and preserved it； not out of duty to his father； but because of that vague respect for death which is always imperious in the heart of man。
Nothing remained of the colonel。
M。 Gillenormand had his sword and uniform sold to an old…clothes dealer。
The neighbors devastated the garden and pillaged the rare flowers。
The other plants turned to nettles and weeds； and died。
Marius remained only forty…eight hours at Vernon。
After the interment he returned to Paris； and applied himself again to his law studies； with no more thought of his father than if the latter had never lived。 In two days the colonel was buried； and in three forgotten。
Marius wore crape on his hat。
That was all。
BOOK THIRD。THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
CHAPTER V
THE UTILITY OF GOING TO MASS； IN ORDER TO BEE A REVOLUTIONIST
Marius had preserved the religious habits of his childhood。 One Sunday； when he went to hear mass at Saint…Sulpice； at that same chapel of the Virgin whither his aunt had led him when a small lad； he placed himself behind a pillar； being more absent…minded and thoughtful than usual on that occasion； and knelt down； without paying any special heed； upon a chair of Utrecht velvet； on the back of which was inscribed this name：
Monsieur Mabeuf； warden。
Mass had hardly begun when an old man presented himself and said to Marius：
〃This is my place； sir。〃
Marius stepped aside promptly； and the old man took possession of his chair。
The mass concluded； Marius still stood thoughtfully a few paces distant； the old man approached him again and said：
〃I beg your pardon； sir； for having disturbed you a while ago； and for again disturbing you at this moment； you must have thought me intrusive； and I will explain myself。〃
〃There is no need of that； Sir；〃 said Marius。
〃Yes！〃 went on the old man； 〃I do not wish you to have a bad opinion of me。
You see； I am attached to this place。
It seems to me that the mass is better from here。
Why？
I will tell you。 It is from this place； that I have watched a poor； brave father e regularly； every two or three months； for the last ten years； since he had no other opportunity and no other way of seeing his child； because he was prevented by family arrangements。 He came at the hour when he knew that his son would be brought to mass。
The little one never suspected that his father was there。 Perhaps he did not even know that he had a father； poor innocent！ The father kept behind a pillar； so that he might not be seen。 He gazed at his child and he wept。
He adored that little fellow； poor man！
I could see that。
This spot has bee sanctified in my sight； and I have contracted a habit of ing hither to listen to the mass。
I prefer it to the stall to which I have a right； in my capacity of warden。
I knew that unhappy gentleman a little； too。 He had a father…in…law； a wealthy aunt； relatives； I don't know exactly what all； who threatened to disinherit the child if he； the father； saw him。
He sacrificed himself in order that his son might be rich and happy some day。
He was separated from him because of political opinions。
Certainly； I approve of political opinions； but there are people who do not know where to stop。 Mon Dieu！ a man is not a monster because he was at Waterloo； a father is not separated from his child for such a reason as that。 He was one of Bonaparte's colonels。
He is dead； I believe。
He lived at Vernon； where I have a brother who is a cure； and his name was something like Pontmarie or Montpercy。
He had a fine sword…cut； on my honor。〃
〃Pontmercy；〃 suggested Marius； turning pale。
〃Precisely； Pontmercy。
Did you know him？〃
〃Sir；〃 said Marius； 〃he was my father。〃
The old warden clasped his hands and exclaimed：
〃Ah！ you are the child！
Yes； that's true； he must be a man by this time。
Well！ poor child； you may say that you had a father who loved you dearly！〃
Marius offered his arm to the old man and conducted him to his lodgings。
On the following day； he said to M。 Gillenormand：
〃I have arranged a hunting…party with some friends。
Will you permit me to be absent for three days？〃
〃Four！〃 replied his grandfather。
〃Go and amuse yourself。〃
And he said to his daughter in a low tone； and with a wink； 〃Some love affair！〃
BOOK THIRD。THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
CHAPTER VI
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING MET A WARDEN
Where it was that Marius went will be disclosed a little further on。
Marius was absent for three days； then he returned to Paris； went straight to the library of the law…school and asked for the files of the Moniteur。
He read the Moniteur； he read all the histories of the Republic and the Empire； the Memorial de Sainte…Helene； all the memoirs； all the newspapers； the bulletins； the proclamations； he devoured everything。
The first time that he came across his father's name in the bulletins of the grand army； he had a fever for a week。 He went to see the generals under whom Georges Pontmercy had served； among others； te H。 Church…warden Mabeuf； whom he went to see again； told him about the life at Vernon； the colonel's retreat； his flowers； his solitude。
Marius came to a full knowledge of that rare； sweet； and sublime man； that species of lion…lamb who had been his father。
In the meanwhile； occupied as he was with this study which absorbed all his moments as well as his thoughts； he hardly saw the Gillenormands at all。
He made his appearance at meals； then they searched for him； and he was not to be found。
Father Gillenormand smiled。
〃Bah！ bah！ He is just of the age for the girls！〃
Sometimes the old man added： 〃The deuce！
I thought it was only an affair of gallantry； It seems that it is an affair of passion！〃
It was a passion； in fact。
Marius was on the high road to adoring his father。
At the same time； his ideas underwent an extraordinary change。 The phases of this change were numerous and successive。
As this is the history of many minds of our day； we think it will prove useful to follow these phases step by step and to indicate them all。
That history upon which he had just cast his eyes appalled him。
The first effect was to dazzle him。
Up to that time； the Republic； the Empire； had been to him only monstrous words。
The Republic； a guillotine in the twilight； the Empire； a sword in the night。
He had just taken a look at it； and where he had expected to find only a chaos of shadows； he had beheld； with a sort of unprecedented surprise； mingled with fear and joy； stars sparkling； Mirabeau； Vergniaud； Saint…Just； Robespierre； Camille； Desmoulins； Danton； and a sun arise； Napoleon。
He did not know where he stood。
He recoiled； blinded by the brilliant lights。 Little by little； when his astonishment had passed off； he grew accustomed to this radiance； he contemplated these deeds without dizziness； he examined these personages without terror； the Revolution and the Empire presented themselves luminously； in perspective； before his mind's eye； he beheld each of these groups of events and of men summed up in two tremendous facts： the Republic in the sovereignty of civil right restored to the masses； the Empire in the sovereignty of the French idea imposed on Europe； he beheld the grand figure of the people emerge from the Revolution； and the grand figure of France spring forth from the Empire。 He asserted in his conscience； that all this had been good。 What his dazzled state neglected in this； his first far too synthetic estimation； we do not think it necessary to point out here。 It is the state of a mind on the march that we are recording。 Progress is not acplished in one stage。
That stated； once for all； in connection with what precedes as well as with what is to follow； we continue。
He then perceived that； up to that moment； he had prehended his country no more than he had prehended his father。
He had not known either the one or the other； and a sort of voluntary night had obscured his eyes。
Now he saw； and on the one hand he admired； while on the other he adored。
He was filled with regret and remorse； and he reflected in despair that all he had in his soul could now be said only to the tomb。 Oh！ if his father had still been in existence； if he had still had him； if God； in his passion and his goodness； had permitted his father to be still among the living； how he would have run； how he would have precipitated himself； how he would have cried to his father：
〃Father！
Here I am！
It is I！
I have the same heart as thou！
I am thy son！〃
How he would have embraced that white head； bathed his hair in tears； gazed upon his scar； pressed his hands； adored his garment； kissed his feet！
Oh！
Why ha