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agion of Hamlet's madness； but because she had slept in the loft of some stable。
And in spite of it all； she was beautiful。
What a star art thou； O youth！
In the meantime； she had halted in front of Marius with a trace of joy in her livid countenance； and something which resembled a smile。
She stood for several moments as though incapable of speech。
〃So I have met you at last！〃 she said at length。
〃Father Mabeuf was right； it was on this boulevard！
How I have hunted for you！ If you only knew！
Do you know？
I have been in the jug。
A fortnight！ They let me out！ seeing that there was nothing against me； and that； moreover； I had not reached years of discretion。
I lack two months of it。
Oh！ how I have hunted for you！
These six weeks！ So you don't live down there any more？〃
〃No；〃 said Marius。
〃Ah！
I understand。
Because of that affair。
Those take…downs are disagreeable。
You cleared out。
e now！
Why do you wear old hats like this！
A young man like you ought to have fine clothes。 Do you know； Monsieur Marius； Father Mabeuf calls you Baron Marius； I don't know what。
It isn't true that you are a baron？
Barons are old fellows； they go to the Luxembourg； in front of the chateau； where there is the most sun； and they read the Quotidienne for a sou。 I once carried a letter to a baron of that sort。
He was over a hundred years old。
Say； where do you live now？〃
Marius made no reply。
〃Ah！〃 she went on； 〃you have a hole in your shirt。
I must sew it up for you。〃
She resumed with an expression which gradually clouded over：
〃You don't seem glad to see me。〃
Marius held his peace； she remained silent for a moment； then exclaimed：
〃But if I choose； nevertheless； I could force you to look glad！〃
〃What？〃 demanded Marius。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Ah！ you used to call me thou；〃 she retorted。
〃Well； then； what dost thou mean？〃
She bit her lips； she seemed to hesitate； as though a prey to some sort of inward conflict。
At last she appeared to e to a decision。
〃So much the worse； I don't care。
You have a melancholy air； I want you to be pleased。
Only promise me that you will smile。 I want to see you smile and hear you say：
‘Ah； well； that's good。' Poor Mr。 Marius！ you know？
You promised me that you would give me anything I like〃
〃Yes！
Only speak！〃
She looked Marius full in the eye； and said：
〃I have the address。〃
Marius turned pale。
All the blood flowed back to his heart。
〃What address？〃
〃The address that you asked me to get！〃
She added； as though with an effort：
〃The addressyou know very well！〃
〃Yes！〃 stammered Marius。
〃Of that young lady。〃
This word uttered； she sighed deeply。
Marius sprang from the parapet on which he had been sitting and seized her hand distractedly。
〃Oh！
Well！ lead me thither！
Tell me！
Ask of me anything you wish！ Where is it？〃
〃e with me；〃 she responded。
〃I don't know the street or number very well； it is in quite the other direction from here； but I know the house well； I will take you to it。〃
She withdrew her hand and went on； in a tone which could have rent the heart of an observer； but which did not even graze Marius in his intoxicated and ecstatic state：
〃Oh！ how glad you are！〃
A cloud swept across Marius' brow。
He seized Eponine by the arm：
〃Swear one thing to me！〃
〃Swear！〃 said she； 〃what does that mean？
e！
You want me to swear？〃
And she laughed。
〃Your father！ promise me； Eponine！
Swear to me that you will not give this address to your father！〃
She turned to him with a stupefied air。
〃Eponine！
How do you know that my name is Eponine？〃
〃Promise what I tell you！〃
But she did not seem to hear him。
〃That's nice！
You have called me Eponine！〃
Marius grasped both her arms at once。
〃But answer me； in the name of Heaven！ pay attention to what I am saying to you； swear to me that you will not tell your father this address that you know！〃
〃My father！〃 said she。
〃Ah yes； my father！
Be at ease。 He's in close confinement。
Besides； what do I care for my father！〃
〃But you do not promise me！〃 exclaimed Marius。
〃Let go of me！〃 she said； bursting into a laugh； 〃how you do shake me！ Yes！
Yes！
I promise that！
I swear that to you！
What is that to me？ I will not tell my father the address。
There！
Is that right？ Is that it？〃
〃Nor to any one？〃 said Marius。
〃Nor to any one。〃
〃Now；〃 resumed Marius； 〃take me there。〃
〃Immediately？〃
〃Immediately。〃
〃e along。
Ah！ how pleased he is！〃 said she。
After a few steps she halted。
〃You are following me too closely； Monsieur Marius。
Let me go on ahead； and follow me so； without seeming to do it。
A nice young man like you must not be seen with a woman like me。〃
No tongue can express all that lay in that word； woman； thus pronounced by that child。
She proceeded a dozen paces and then halted once more； Marius joined her。 She addressed him sideways； and without turning towards him：
〃By the way； you know that you promised me something？〃
Marius fumbled in his pocket。
All that he owned in the world was the five francs intended for Thenardier the father。
He took them and laid them in Eponine's hand。
She opened her fingers and let the coin fall to the ground； and gazed at him with a gloomy air。
〃I don't want your money；〃 said she。
BOOK THIRD。THE HOUSE IN THE RUE PLUMET
CHAPTER I
THE HOUSE WITH A SECRET
About the middle of the last century； a chief justice in the Parliament of Paris having a mistress and concealing the fact； for at that period the grand seignors displayed their mistresses； and the bourgeois concealed them； had 〃a little house〃 built in the Faubourg Saint…Germain； in the deserted Rue Blomet； which is now called Rue Plumet； not far from the spot which was then designated as bat des Animaux。
This house was posed of a single…storied pavilion； two rooms on the ground floor； two chambers on the first floor； a kitchen down stairs； a boudoir up stairs； an attic under the roof； the whole preceded by a garden with a large gate opening on the street。 This garden was about an acre and a half in extent。
This was all that could be seen by passers…by； but behind the pavilion there was a narrow courtyard； and at the end of the courtyard a low building consisting of two rooms and a cellar； a sort of preparation destined to conceal a child and nurse in case of need。
This building municated in the rear by a masked door which opened by a secret spring； with a long； narrow； paved winding corridor； open to the sky； hemmed in with two lofty walls； which； hidden with wonderful art； and lost as it were between garden enclosures and cultivated land； all of whose angles and detours it followed； ended in another door； also with a secret lock which opened a quarter of a league away； almost in another quarter； at the solitary extremity of the Rue du Babylone。
Through this the chief justice entered； so that even those who were spying on him and following him would merely have observed that the justice betook himself every day in a mysterious way somewhere； and would never have suspected that to go to the Rue de Babylone was to go to the Rue Blomet。
Thanks to clever purchasers of land； the magistrate had been able to make a secret； sewer…like passage on his own property； and consequently； without interference。
Later on； he had sold in little parcels； for gardens and market gardens； the lots of ground adjoining the corridor； and the proprietors of these lots on both sides thought they had a party wall before their eyes； and did not even suspect the long； paved ribbon winding between two walls amid their flower…beds and their orchards。 Only the birds beheld this curiosity。
It is probable that the linnets and tomtits of the last century gossiped a great deal about the chief justice。
The pavilion； built of stone in the taste of Mansard； wainscoted and furnished in the Watteau style； rocaille on the inside； old…fashioned on the outside； walled in with a triple hedge of flowers； had something discreet； coquettish； and solemn about it； as befits a caprice of love and magistracy。
This house and corridor； which have now disappeared； were in existence fifteen years ago。
In '93 a coppersmith had purchased the house with the idea of demolishing it； but had not been able to pay the price； the nation made him bankrupt。
So that it was the house which demolished the coppersmith。
After that； the house remained uninhabited； and fell slowly to ruin； as does every dwelling to which the presence of man does not municate life。 It had remained fitted with its old furniture； was always for sale or to let； and the ten or a dozen people who passed through the Rue Plumet were warned of the fact by a yellow and illegible bit of writing which had hung on the garden wall since 1819。
Towards the end of the Restoration； these same passers…by might have noticed that the bill had disappeared； and even that the shutters on the first floor were open。
The house was occupied； in fact。 The windows had short curtains； a sign that there was a woman about。
In the month of October； 1829； a man of a certain age had presented himself and had hired the house just as it stood； including； of course； the back building and the lane which ended in the Rue de Babylone。 He had had the secret openings of the two doors to this passage repaired。 The house； as we have just mentioned； was still very nearly furnished with the justice's old fitting； the new tenant had ordered some repairs； had added what was lacking here and there； had replaced the paving…stones in the yard； bricks in the floors； steps in the stairs； missing bits in the inlaid floors and the glass in the lattice windows； and had finally installed himself there with a young girl and an elderly maid…servant； without motion； rather like a person who is slipping in than like a man who is entering his own house。
The neighbors did not gossip about him； for the reason that there were no neighbors。
This unobtrusive tenant was Jean Valjean； the young girl was Cosette。 The servant was a woman named Toussaint； whom Jean Valjean had saved from the hospital and from wretchedness； and who was elderly； a stammerer； and from the provinces； three qualities which had decided Jean Valjean to take her with him。
He had hired the house under the name of M。 Fauchelevent； independent gentleman。 In all that has been related heretofore； the reader has； doubtless； been no less prompt than Thenardier to recognize Jean Valjean。
Why had Jean Valjean quitted the convent of the Petit…Picpus？ What had happened？
Nothing had happened。
It will be remembered that Jean Valjean was happy in the convent； so happy that his conscience finally took the alarm。
He saw Cosette every day； he felt paternity spring up and develop within him more and more； he brooded over the soul of that child； he said to himself that she was his； that nothing could take her from him； that this would last indefinitely； that she would certainly bee a nun； being thereto gently incited every day； that thus the convent was henceforth the universe for her as it was for him； that he should grow old there； and that she would grow up there； that she would grow old there； and that he should die there； that； in short； delightful hope； no separation was possible。
On reflecting upon this； he fell into perplexity。
He interrogated himself。
He asked himself if all that happiness were really his； if it were not posed of the happiness of another； of the happiness of that child which he； an old man； was confiscating and stealing； if that were not theft？ He said to himself； that this child had a right to know life before renouncing it； that to deprive her in advance； and in some sort without consulting her； of all joys； under the pretext of saving her from all trials； to take advantage of her ignorance of her isolation； in order to make an artifi