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Bahorel will visit the Estrapade。
Prouvaire； the masons are growing lukewarm； you will bring us news from the lodge of the Rue de Grenelle…Saint…Honore。 Joly will go to Dupuytren's clinical lecture； and feel the pulse of the medical school。
Bossuet will take a little turn in the court and talk with the young law licentiates。
I will take charge of the Cougourde myself。〃
〃That arranges everything；〃 said Courfeyrac。
〃No。〃
〃What else is there？〃
〃A very important thing。〃
〃What is that？〃 asked Courfeyrac。
〃The Barriere du Maine；〃 replied Enjolras。
Enjolras remained for a moment as though absorbed in reflection； then he resumed：
〃At the Barriere du Maine there are marble…workers； painters； and journeymen in the studios of sculptors。
They are an enthusiastic family； but liable to cool off。
I don't know what has been the matter with them for some time past。
They are thinking of something else。 They are being extinguished。
They pass their time playing dominoes。 There is urgent need that some one should go and talk with them a little； but with firmness。
They meet at Richefeu's。 They are to be found there between twelve and one o'clock。 Those ashes must be fanned into a glow。
For that errand I had counted on that abstracted Marius； who is a good fellow on the whole； but he no longer es to us。 I need some one for the Barriere du Maine。
I have no one。〃
〃What about me？〃 said Grantaire。
〃Here am I。〃
〃You？〃
〃I。〃
〃You indoctrinate republicans！ you warm up hearts that have grown cold in the name of principle！〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Are you good for anything？〃
〃I have a vague ambition in that direction；〃 said Grantaire。
〃You do not believe in everything。〃
〃I believe in you。〃
〃Grantaire will you do me a service？〃
〃Anything。
I'll black your boots。〃
〃Well； don't meddle with our affairs。
Sleep yourself sober from your absinthe。〃
〃You are an ingrate； Enjolras。〃
〃You the man to go to the Barriere du Maine！
You capable of it！〃
〃I am capable of descending the Rue de Gres； of crossing the Place Saint…Michel； of sloping through the Rue Monsieur…le…Prince； of taking the Rue de Vaugirard； of passing the Carmelites； of turning into the Rue d'Assas； of reaching the Rue du Cherche…Midi； of leaving behind me the Conseil de Guerre； of pacing the Rue des Vielles Tuileries； of striding across the boulevard； of following the Chaussee du Maine； of passing the barrier； and entering Richefeu's。 I am capable of that。 My shoes are capable of that。〃
〃Do you know anything of those rades who meet at Richefeu's？〃
〃Not much。
We only address each other as thou。〃
〃What will you say to them？〃
〃I will speak to them of Robespierre； pardi！
Of Danton。 Of principles。〃
〃You？〃
〃I。 But I don't receive justice。
When I set about it； I am terrible。 I have read Prudhomme； I know the Social Contract； I know my constitution of the year Two by heart。
‘The liberty of one citizen ends where the liberty of another citizen begins。'
Do you take me for a brute？
I have an old bank…bill of the Republic in my drawer。 The Rights of Man； the sovereignty of the people； sapristi！
I am even a bit of a Hebertist。
I can talk the most superb twaddle for six hours by the clock； watch in hand。〃
〃Be serious；〃 said Enjolras。
〃I am wild；〃 replied Grantaire。
Enjolras meditated for a few moments； and made the gesture of a man who has taken a resolution。
〃Grantaire；〃 he said gravely； 〃I consent to try you。
You shall go to the Barriere du Maine。〃
Grantaire lived in furnished lodgings very near the Cafe Musain。 He went out； and five minutes later he returned。
He had gone home to put on a Robespierre waistcoat。
〃Red；〃 said he as he entered； and he looked intently at Enjolras。 Then； with the palm of his energetic hand； he laid the two scarlet points of the waistcoat across his breast。
And stepping up to Enjolras； he whispered in his ear：
〃Be easy。〃
He jammed his hat on resolutely and departed。
A quarter of an hour later； the back room of the Cafe Musain was deserted。
All the friends of the A B C were gone； each in his own direction； each to his own task。
Enjolras； who had reserved the Cougourde of Aix for himself； was the last to leave。
Those members of the Cougourde of Aix who were in Paris then met on the plain of Issy； in one of the abandoned quarries which are so numerous in that side of Paris。
As Enjolras walked towards this place； he passed the whole situation in review in his own mind。
The gravity of events was self…evident。 When facts； the premonitory symptoms of latent social malady； move heavily； the slightest plication stops and entangles them。 A phenomenon whence arises ruin and new births。
Enjolras descried a luminous uplifting beneath the gloomy skirts of the future。 Who knows？
Perhaps the moment was at hand。
The people were again taking possession of right； and what a fine spectacle！ The revolution was again majestically taking possession of France and saying to the world：
〃The sequel to…morrow！〃 Enjolras was content。 The furnace was being heated。
He had at that moment a powder train of friends scattered all over Paris。
He posed； in his own mind； with beferre's philosophical and penetrating eloquence； Feuilly's cosmopolitan enthusiasm； Courfeyrac's dash； Bahorel's smile； Jean Prouvaire's melancholy； Joly's science； Bossuet's sarcasms； a sort of electric spark which took fire nearly everywhere at once。 All hands to work。
Surely； the result would answer to the effort。 This was well。
This made him think of Grantaire。
〃Hold；〃 said he to himself； 〃the Barriere du Maine will not take me far out of my way。
What if I were to go on as far as Richefeu's？ Let us have a look at what Grantaire is about； and see how he is getting on。〃
One o'clock was striking from the Vaugirard steeple when Enjolras reached the Richefeu smoking…room。
He pushed open the door； entered； folded his arms； letting the door fall to and strike his shoulders； and gazed at that room filled with tables； men； and smoke。
A voice broke forth from the mist of smoke； interrupted by another voice。 It was Grantaire holding a dialogue with an adversary。
Grantaire was sitting opposite another figure； at a marble Saint…Anne table； strewn with grains of bran and dotted with dominos。
He was hammering the table with his fist； and this is what Enjolras heard：
〃Double…six。〃
〃Fours。〃
〃The pig！
I have no more。〃
〃You are dead。
A two。〃
〃Six。〃
〃Three。〃
〃One。〃
〃It's my move。〃
〃Four points。〃
〃Not much。〃
〃It's your turn。〃
〃I have made an enormous mistake。〃
〃You are doing well。〃
〃Fifteen。〃
〃Seven more。〃
〃That makes me twenty…two。〃 ＇Thoughtfully； 〃Twenty…two！〃＇
〃You weren't expecting that double…six。 If I had placed it at the beginning； the whole play would have been changed。〃
〃A two again。〃
〃One。〃
〃One！
Well； five。〃
〃I haven't any。〃
〃It was your play； I believe？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Blank。〃
〃What luck he has！
Ah！
You are lucky！
＇Long revery。＇ Two。〃
〃One。〃
〃Neither five nor one。
That's bad for you。〃
〃Domino。〃
〃Plague take it！〃
BOOK SECOND。EPONINE
CHAPTER I
THE LARK'S MEADOW
Marius had witnessed the unexpected termination of the ambush upon whose track he had set Javert； but Javert had no sooner quitted the building； bearing off his prisoners in three hackney…coaches； than Marius also glided out of the house。
It was only nine o'clock in the evening。
Marius betook himself to Courfeyrac。 Courfeyrac was no longer the imperturbable inhabitant of the Latin Quarter； he had gone to live in the Rue de la Verrerie 〃for political reasons〃； this quarter was one where； at that epoch； insurrection liked to install itself。
Marius said to Courfeyrac： 〃I have e to sleep with you。〃
Courfeyrac dragged a mattress off his bed； which was furnished with two； spread it out on the floor； and said：
〃There。〃
At seven o'clock on the following morning； Marius returned to the hovel； paid the quarter's rent which he owed to Ma'am Bougon； had his books； his bed； his table； his mode； and his two chairs loaded on a hand…cart and went off without leaving his address； so that when Javert returned in the course of the morning； for the purpose of questioning Marius as to the events of the preceding evening； he found only Ma'am Bougon； who answered： 〃Moved away！〃
Ma'am Bougon was convinced that Marius was to some extent an acplice of the robbers who had been seized the night before。 〃Who would ever have said it？〃 she exclaimed to the portresses of the quarter； 〃a young man like that； who had the air of a girl！〃
Marius had two reasons for this prompt change of residence。 The first was； that he now had a horror of that house； where he had beheld； so close at hand； and in its most repulsive and most ferocious development； a social deformity which is； perhaps； even more terrible than the wicked rich man； the wicked poor man。 The second was； that he did not wish to figure in the lawsuit which would insue in all probability； and be brought in to testify against Thenardier。
Javert thought that the young man； whose name he had forgotten； was afraid； and had fled； or perhaps； had not even returned home at the time of the ambush； he made some efforts to find him； however； but without success。
A month passed； then another。
Marius was still with Courfeyrac。 He had learned from a young licentiate in law； an habitual frequenter of the courts； that Thenardier was in close confinement。
Every Monday； Marius had five francs handed in to the clerk's office of La Force for Thenardier。
As Marius had no longer any money； he borrowed the five francs from Courfeyrac。
It was the first time in his life that he had ever borrowed money。
These periodical five francs were a double riddle to Courfeyrac who lent and to Thenardier who received them。
〃To whom can they go？〃 thought Courfeyrac。
〃Whence can this e to me？〃 Thenardier asked himself。
Moreover； Marius was heart…broken。 Everything had plunged through a trap…door once more。
He no longer saw anything before him； his life was again buried in mystery where he wandered fumblingly。 He had for a moment beheld very close at hand； in that obscurity； the young girl whom he loved； the old man who seemed to be her father； those unknown beings； who were his only interest and his only hope in this world； and； at the very moment when he thought himself on the point of grasping them； a gust had swept all these shadows away。 Not a spark of certainty and truth had been emitted even in the most terrible of collisions。
No conjecture was possible。
He no longer knew even the name that he thought he knew。
It certainly was not Ursule。
And the Lark was a nickname。
And what was he to think of the old man？
Was he actually in hiding from the police？ The white…haired workman whom Marius had encountered in the vicinity of the Invalides recurred to his mind。
It now seemed probable that that workingman and M。 Leblanc were one and the same person。
So he disguised himself？
That man had his heroic and his equivocal sides。 Why had he not called for help？
Why had he fled？
Was he； or was he not； the father of the young girl？
Was he； in short； the man whom Thenardier thought that he recognized？
Thenardier might have been mistaken。
These formed so many insoluble problems。 All this； it is true； detracted nothing from the angelic charms of the young girl of the Luxembourg。
Heart…rending distress； Marius bore a passion in his heart； and night over his eyes。 He was thrust onward； he was drawn； and he could not stir。 All had vanished； save love。
Of love itself he had lost the instincts and the sudden illuminations。
Ordinarily； this flame which burns us lights us also a little； and casts some useful gleams without。 But Marius no longer even heard these mute counsels of passion。 He never said to