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He entered and said：
〃I have brought you back your shovel and pick。〃
Gribier gazed at him in stupefaction。
〃Is it you； peasant？〃
〃And to…morrow morning you will find your card with the porter of the cemetery。〃
And he laid the shovel and mattock on the floor。
〃What is the meaning of this？〃 demanded Gribier。
〃The meaning of it is； that you dropped your card out of your pocket； that I found it on the ground after you were gone； that I have buried the corpse； that I have filled the grave； that I have done your work； that the porter will return your card to you； and that you will not have to pay fifteen francs。
There you have it； conscript。〃
〃Thanks； villager！〃 exclaimed Gribier； radiant。
〃The next time I will pay for the drinks。〃
BOOK EIGHTH。CEMETERIES TAKE THAT WHICH IS MITTED THEM
CHAPTER VIII
A SUCCESSFUL INTERROGATORY
An hour later； in the darkness of night； two men and a child presented themselves at No。 62 Rue Petit…Picpus。 The elder of the men lifted the knocker and rapped。
They were Fauchelevent； Jean Valjean； and Cosette。
The two old men had gone to fetch Cosette from the fruiterer's in the Rue du Chemin…Vert； where Fauchelevent had deposited her on the preceding day。
Cosette had passed these twenty…four hours trembling silently and understanding nothing。
She trembled to such a degree that she wept。
She had neither eaten nor slept。 The worthy fruit…seller had plied her with a hundred questions； without obtaining any other reply than a melancholy and unvarying gaze。 Cosette had betrayed nothing of what she had seen and heard during the last two days。
She divined that they were passing through a crisis。 She was deeply conscious that it was necessary to 〃be good。〃 Who has not experienced the sovereign power of those two words； pronounced with a certain accent in the ear of a terrified little being： Say nothing！
Fear is mute。
Moreover； no one guards a secret like a child。
But when； at the expiration of these lugubrious twenty…four hours； she beheld Jean Valjean again； she gave vent to such a cry of joy； that any thoughtful person who had chanced to hear that cry； would have guessed that it issued from an abyss。
Fauchelevent belonged to the convent and knew the pass…words。 All the doors opened。
Thus was solved the double and alarming problem of how to get out and how to get in。
The porter； who had received his instructions； opened the little servant's door which connected the courtyard with the garden； and which could still be seen from the street twenty years ago； in the wall at the bottom of the court； which faced the carriage entrance。
The porter admitted all three of them through this door； and from that point they reached the inner； reserved parlor where Fauchelevent； on the preceding day； had received his orders from the prioress。
The prioress； rosary in hand； was waiting for them。
A vocal mother； with her veil lowered； stood beside her。
A discreet candle lighted； one might almost say； made a show of lighting the parlor。
The prioress passed Jean Valjean in review。
There is nothing which examines like a downcast eye。
Then she questioned him：
〃You are the brother？〃
〃Yes； reverend Mother；〃 replied Fauchelevent。
〃What is your name？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃Ultime Fauchelevent。〃
He really had had a brother named Ultime； who was dead。
〃Where do you e from？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃From Picquigny； near Amiens。〃
〃What is your age？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃Fifty。〃
〃What is your profession？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃Gardener。〃
〃Are you a good Christian？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃Every one is in the family。〃
〃Is this your little girl？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃Yes； reverend Mother。〃
〃You are her father？〃
Fauchelevent replied：
〃Her grandfather。〃
The vocal mother said to the prioress in a low voice
〃He answers well。〃
Jean Valjean had not uttered a single word。
The prioress looked attentively at Cosette； and said half aloud to the vocal mother：
〃She will grow up ugly。〃
The two mothers consulted for a few moments in very low tones in the corner of the parlor； then the prioress turned round and said：
〃Father Fauvent； you will get another knee…cap with a bell。 Two will be required now。〃
On the following day； therefore； two bells were audible in the garden； and the nuns could not resist the temptation to raise the corner of their veils。
At the extreme end of the garden； under the trees； two men； Fauvent and another man； were visible as they dug side by side。
An enormous event。
Their silence was broken to the extent of saying to each other：
〃He is an assistant gardener。〃
The vocal mothers added：
〃He is a brother of Father Fauvent。〃
Jean Valjean was； in fact； regularly installed； he had his belled knee…cap； henceforth he was official。
His name was Ultime Fauchelevent。
The most powerful determining cause of his admission had been the prioress's observation upon Cosette：
〃She will grow up ugly。〃
The prioress； that pronounced prognosticator； immediately took a fancy to Cosette and gave her a place in the school as a charity pupil。
There is nothing that is not strictly logical about this。
It is in vain that mirrors are banished from the convent； women are conscious of their faces； now； girls who are conscious of their beauty do not easily bee nuns； the vocation being voluntary in inverse proportion to their good looks； more is to be hoped from the ugly than from the pretty。
Hence a lively taste for plain girls。
The whole of this adventure increased the importance of good； old Fauchelevent； he won a triple success； in the eyes of Jean Valjean； whom he had saved and sheltered； in those of grave…digger Gribier； who said to himself：
〃He spared me that fine〃； with the convent； which； being enabled； thanks to him； to retain the coffin of Mother Crucifixion under the altar； eluded Caesar and satisfied God。 There was a coffin containing a body in the Petit…Picpus； and a coffin without a body in the Vaugirard cemetery； public order had no doubt been deeply disturbed thereby； but no one was aware of it。
As for the convent； its gratitude to Fauchelevent was very great。 Fauchelevent became the best of servitors and the most precious of gardeners。
Upon the occasion of the archbishop's next visit； the prioress recounted the affair to his Grace； making something of a confession at the same time； and yet boasting of her deed。 On leaving the convent； the archbishop mentioned it with approval； and in a whisper to M。 de Latil； Monsieur's confessor； afterwards Archbishop of Reims and Cardinal。
This admiration for Fauchelevent became widespread； for it made its way to Rome。 We have seen a note addressed by the then reigning Pope； Leo XII。； to one of his relatives； a Monsignor in the Nuncio's establishment in Paris； and bearing； like himself； the name of Della Genga； it contained these lines：
〃It appears that there is in a convent in Paris an excellent gardener； who is also a holy man； named Fauvent。〃 Nothing of this triumph reached Fauchelevent in his hut； he went on grafting； weeding； and covering up his melon beds； without in the least suspecting his excellences and his sanctity。 Neither did he suspect his glory； any more than a Durham or Surrey bull whose portrait is published in the London Illustrated News； with this inscription：
〃Bull which carried off the prize at the Cattle Show。〃
BOOK EIGHTH。CEMETERIES TAKE THAT WHICH IS MITTED THEM
CHAPTER IX
CLOISTERED
Cosette continued to hold her tongue in the convent。
It was quite natural that Cosette should think herself Jean Valjean's daughter。
Moreover； as she knew nothing； she could say nothing； and then； she would not have said anything in any case。
As we have just observed； nothing trains children to silence like unhappiness。 Cosette had suffered so much； that she feared everything； even to speak or to breathe。
A single word had so often brought down an avalanche upon her。
She had hardly begun to regain her confidence since she had been with Jean Valjean。
She speedily became accustomed to the convent。
Only she regretted Catherine； but she dared not say so。
Once； however； she did say to Jean Valjean： 〃Father； if I had known； I would have brought her away with me。〃
Cosette had been obliged； on being a scholar in the convent； to don the garb of the pupils of the house。
Jean Valjean succeeded in getting them to restore to him the garments which she laid aside。 This was the same mourning suit which he had made her put on when she had quitted the Thenardiers' inn。
It was not very threadbare even now。 Jean Valjean locked up these garments； plus the stockings and the shoes； with a quantity of camphor and all the aromatics in which convents abound； in a little valise which he found means of procuring。 He set this valise on a chair near his bed； and he always carried the key about his person。
〃Father；〃 Cosette asked him one day； 〃what is there in that box which smells so good？〃
Father Fauchelevent received other repense for his good action； in addition to the glory which we just mentioned； and of which he knew nothing； in the first place it made him happy； next； he had much less work； since it was shared。
ly； as he was very fond of snuff； he found the presence of M。 Madeleine an advantage； in that he used three times as much as he had done previously； and that in an infinitely more luxurious manner； seeing that M。 Madeleine paid for it。
The nuns did not adopt the name of Ultime； they called Jean Valjean the other Fauvent。
If these holy women had possessed anything of Javert's glance； they would eventually have noticed that when there was any errand to be done outside in the behalf of the garden； it was always the elder Fauchelevent； the old； the infirm； the lame man； who went； and never the other； but whether it is that eyes constantly fixed on God know not how to spy； or whether they were； by preference； occupied in keeping watch on each other； they paid no heed to this。
Moreover； it was well for Jean Valjean that he kept close and did not stir out。
Javert watched the quarter for more than a month。
This convent was for Jean Valjean like an island surrounded by gulfs。
Henceforth； those four walls constituted his world。 He saw enough of the sky there to enable him to preserve his serenity； and Cosette enough to remain happy。
A very sweet life began for him。
He inhabited the old hut at the end of the garden； in pany with Fauchelevent。
This hovel； built of old rubbish； which was still in existence in 1845； was posed； as the reader already knows； of three chambers； all of which were utterly bare and had nothing beyond the walls。
The principal one had been given up； by force； for Jean Valjean had opposed it in vain； to M。 Madeleine； by Father Fauchelevent。
The walls of this chamber had for ornament； in addition to the two nails whereon to hang the knee…cap and the basket； a Royalist bank…note of '93； applied to the wall over the chimney…piece； and of which the following is an exact facsimile：
｛GRAPHIC HERE｝
This specimen of Vendean paper money had been nailed to the wall by the preceding gardener； an old Chouan； who had died in the convent； and whose place Fauchelevent had taken。
Jean Valjean worked in the garden every day and made himself very useful。 He had formerly been a pruner of trees； and he gladly found himself a gardener once more。
It will be remembered that he knew all sorts of secrets and receipts for agriculture。
He turned these to advantage。 Almost all the trees in the orchard were ungrafted； and wild。 He budded them and made them produce excellent fruit。
Cosette had permission to pass an hour with him every day。 As the sisters were melancholy and he was kind； the child made parisons and adored him。
At the appointed hour she flew to the hut。 When she entered the lowly cabin； she filled it with paradise。 Jean Valjean blossomed out and felt his happ