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〃Why did I follow her？ I was so happy at the mere sight of her！
She looked at me； was not that immense？
She had the air of loving me。
Was not that everything？
I wished to have； what？
There was nothing after that。
I have been absurd。
It is my own fault；〃 etc。； etc。 Courfeyrac； to whom he confided nothing；it was his nature； but who made some little guess at everything；that was his nature； had begun by congratulating him on being in love； though he was amazed at it； then； seeing Marius fall into this melancholy state； he ended by saying to him：
〃I see that you have been simply an animal。
Here； e to the Chaumiere。〃
Once； having confidence in a fine September sun； Marius had allowed himself to be taken to the ball at Sceaux by Courfeyrac； Bossuet； and Grantaire； hoping； what a dream！ that he might； perhaps； find her there。
Of course he did not see the one he sought。〃But this is the place； all the same； where all lost women are found；〃 grumbled Grantaire in an aside。
Marius left his friends at the ball and returned home on foot； alone； through the night； weary； feverish； with sad and troubled eyes； stunned by the noise and dust of the merry wagons filled with singing creatures on their way home from the feast； which passed close to him； as he； in his discouragement； breathed in the acrid scent of the walnut…trees； along the road； in order to refresh his head。
He took to living more and more alone； utterly overwhelmed； wholly given up to his inward anguish； going and ing in his pain like the wolf in the trap； seeking the absent one everywhere； stupefied by love。
On another occasion； he had an encounter which produced on him a singular effect。
He met； in the narrow streets in the vicinity of the Boulevard des Invalides； a man dressed like a workingman and wearing a cap with a long visor； which allowed a glimpse of locks of very white hair。
Marius was struck with the beauty of this white hair； and scrutinized the man； who was walking slowly and as though absorbed in painful meditation。
Strange to say； he thought that he recognized M。 Leblanc。
The hair was the same； also the profile； so far as the cap permitted a view of it； the mien identical； only more depressed。
But why these workingman's clothes？ What was the meaning of this？
What signified that disguise？ Marius was greatly astonished。
When he recovered himself； his first impulse was to follow the man； who knows whether he did not hold at last the clue which he was seeking？
In any case； he must see the man near at hand； and clear up the mystery。 But the idea occurred to him too late； the man was no longer there。 He had turned into some little side street； and Marius could not find him。
This encounter occupied his mind for three days and then was effaced。
〃After all；〃 he said to himself； 〃it was probably only a resemblance。〃
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER II
TREASURE TROVE
Marius had not left the Gorbeau house。
He paid no attention to any one there。
At that epoch； to tell the truth； there were no other inhabitants in the house； except himself and those Jondrettes whose rent he had once paid； without； moreover； ever having spoken to either father； mother； or daughters。
The other lodgers had moved away or had died； or had been turned out in default of payment。
One day during that winter； the sun had shown itself a little in the afternoon； but it was the 2d of February； that ancient Candlemas day whose treacherous sun； the precursor of a six weeks' cold spell； inspired Mathieu Laensberg with these two lines； which have with justice remained classic：
Qu'il luise ou qu'il luiserne；
L'ours rentre dans en sa caverne。＇26＇
＇26＇ Whether the sun shines brightly or dim； the bear returns to his cave。
Marius had just emerged from his：
night was falling。
It was the hour for his dinner； for he had been obliged to take to dining again； alas！ oh； infirmities of ideal passions！
He had just crossed his threshold； where Ma'am Bougon was sweeping at the moment； as she uttered this memorable monologue：
〃What is there that is cheap now？
Everything is dear。
There is nothing in the world that is cheap except trouble； you can get that for nothing； the trouble of the world！〃
Marius slowly ascended the boulevard towards the barrier； in order to reach the Rue Saint…Jacques。 He was walking along with drooping head。
All at once； he felt some one elbow him in the dusk； he wheeled round； and saw two young girls clad in rags； the one tall and slim； the other a little shorter； who were passing rapidly； all out of breath； in terror； and with the appearance of fleeing； they had been ing to meet him； had not seen him； and had jostled him as they passed。 Through the twilight； Marius could distinguish their livid faces； their wild heads； their dishevelled hair； their hideous bonnets； their ragged petticoats； and their bare feet。
They were talking as they ran。
The taller said in a very low voice：
〃The bobbies have e。
They came near nabbing me at the half…circle。〃 The other answered：
〃I saw them。
I bolted； bolted； bolted！〃
Through this repulsive slang； Marius understood that gendarmes or the police had e near apprehending these two children； and that the latter had escaped。
They plunged among the trees of the boulevard behind him； and there created； for a few minutes； in the gloom； a sort of vague white spot； then disappeared。
Marius had halted for a moment。
He was about to pursue his way； when his eye lighted on a little grayish package lying on the ground at his feet。
He stooped and picked it up。
It was a sort of envelope which appeared to contain papers。
〃Good；〃 he said to himself； 〃those unhappy girls dropped it。〃
He retraced his steps； he called； he did not find them； he reflected that they must already be far away； put the package in his pocket； and went off to dine。
On the way； he saw in an alley of the Rue Mouffetard； a child's coffin； covered with a black cloth resting on three chairs； and illuminated by a candle。
The two girls of the twilight recurred to his mind。
〃Poor mothers！〃 he thought。
〃There is one thing sadder than to see one's children die； it is to see them leading an evil life。〃
Then those shadows which had varied his melancholy vanished from his thoughts； and he fell back once more into his habitual preoccupations。
He fell to thinking once more of his six months of love and happiness in the open air and the broad daylight； beneath the beautiful trees of Luxembourg。
〃How gloomy my life has bee！〃 he said to himself。
〃Young girls are always appearing to me； only formerly they were angels and now they are ghouls。〃
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER III
QUADRIFRONS
That evening； as he was undressing preparatory to going to bed； his hand came in contact； in the pocket of his coat； with the packet which he had picked up on the boulevard。
He had forgotten it。 He thought that it would be well to open it； and that this package might possibly contain the address of the young girls； if it really belonged to them； and； in any case； the information necessary to a restitution to the person who had lost it。
He opened the envelope。
It was not sealed and contained four letters； also unsealed。
They bore addresses。
All four exhaled a horrible odor of tobacco。
The first was addressed：
〃To Madame； Madame la Marquise de Grucheray； the place opposite the Chamber of Deputies； No。〃
Marius said to himself； that he should probably find in it the information which he sought； and that； moreover； the letter being open； it was probable that it could be read without impropriety。
It was conceived as follows：
Madame la Marquise：
The virtue of clemency and piety is that which most closely unites sosiety。
Turn your Christian spirit and cast a look of passion on this unfortunate Spanish victim of loyalty and attachment to the sacred cause of legitimacy； who has given with his blood； consecrated his fortune； evverything； to defend that cause； and to…day finds himself in the greatest missery。 He doubts not that your honorable person will grant succor to preserve an existence exteremely painful for a military man of education and honor full of wounds； counts in advance on the humanity which animates you and on the interest which Madame la Marquise bears to a nation so unfortunate。
Their prayer will not be in vain； and their gratitude will preserve theirs charming souvenir。
My respectful sentiments； with which I have the honor to be
Madame；
Don Alvares； Spanish Captain
of Cavalry； a royalist who
has take refuge in France；
who finds himself on travells
for his country； and the
resources are lacking him to
continue his travells。
No address was joined to the signature。
Marius hoped to find the address in the second letter； whose superscription read： A Madame； Madame la tesse de Montvernet； Rue Cassette； No。 9。 This is what Marius read in it：
Madame la tesse：
It is an unhappy mother of a family of six children the last of which is only eight months old。
I sick since my last confinement； abandoned by my husband five months ago； haveing no resources in the world the most frightful indigance。
In the hope of Madame la tesse； she has the honor to be； Madame； with profound respect；
Mistress Balizard。
Marius turned to the third letter； which was a petition like the preceding； he read：
Monsieur Pabourgeot； Elector； wholesale stocking merchant；
Rue Saint…Denis on the corner of the Rue aux Fers。
I permit myself to address you this letter to beg you to grant me the pretious favor of your simpaties and to interest yourself in a man of letters who has just sent a drama to the Theatre…Francais。 The subject is historical； and the action takes place in Auvergne in the time of the Empire； the style； I think； is natural； laconic； and may have some merit。
There are couplets to be sung in four places。
The ic； the serious； the unexpected； are mingled in a variety of characters； and a tinge of romanticism lightly spread through all the intrigue which proceeds misteriously； and ends； after striking altarations； in the midst of many beautiful strokes of brilliant scenes。
My principal object is to satisfi the desire which progressively animates the man of our century； that is to say； the fashion； that capritious and bizarre weathervane which changes at almost every new wind。
In spite of these qualities I have reason to fear that jealousy； the egotism of priviliged authors； may obtaine my exclusion from the theatre； for I am not ignorant of the mortifications with which new…ers are treated。
Monsiuer Pabourgeot； your just reputation as an enlightened protector of men of litters emboldens me to send you my daughter who will explain our indigant situation to you； lacking bread and fire in this wynter season。
When I say to you that I beg you to accept the dedication of my drama which I desire to make to you and of all those that I shall make； is to prove to you how great is my ambition to have the honor of sheltering myself under your protection； and of adorning my writings with your name。
If you deign to honor me with the most modest offering； I shall immediately occupy myself in making a piesse of verse to pay you my tribute of gratitude。 Which I shall endeavor to render this piesse as perfect as possible； will be sent to you before it is inserted at the beginning of the drama and delivered on the stage。
To Monsieur
and Madame Pabourgeot；
My most respectful plements；
Genflot； man of letters。
P。 S。 Even if it is only forty sous。
Excuse me for sending my daughter and not presenting myself； but sad motives connected with the toilet do not permit me； alas！ to go out。
Finally； Marius opened the fourth letter。
The address ran： To the benevolent Gentleman of the church of Saint…Jacquesdu…haut…Pas。 It contained the following lines：
Benevolent Man：
If you deign to acpany my daught