Les Misérables
CHAPTER VI—ENJOLRAS AND HIS LIEUTENANTS
BOOK SECOND—ÉPONINE
CHAPTER I—THE LARK’S MEADOW
CHAPTER II—EMBRYONIC FORMATION OF CRIMES IN THE INCUBATION OF PRISONS
CHAPTER III—APPARITION TO FATHER MABEUF
CHAPTER IV—AN APPARITION TO MARIUS
BOOK THIRD—THE HOUSE IN THE RUE PLUMET
CHAPTER I—THE HOUSE WITH A SECRET
CHAPTER II—JEAN VALJEAN AS A NATIONAL GUARD
CHAPTER III—FOLIIS AC FRONDIBUS
CHAPTER IV—CHANGE OF GATE
CHAPTER V—THE ROSE PERCEIVES THAT IT IS AN ENGINE OF WAR
CHAPTER VI—THE BATTLE BEGUN
CHAPTER VII—TO ONE SADNESS OPPOSE A SADNESS AND A HALF
CHAPTER VIII—THE CHAIN-GANG
BOOK FOURTH—SUCCOR FROM BELOW MAY TURN OUT TO BE SUCCOR FROM ON HIGH
CHAPTER I—A WOUND WITHOUT, HEALING WITHIN
CHAPTER II—MOTHER PLUTARQUE FINDS NO DIFFICULTY IN EXPLAINING A
PHENOMENON
BOOK FIFTH—THE END OF WHICH DOES NOT RESEMBLE THE BEGINNING
CHAPTER I—SOLITUDE AND THE BARRACKS COMBINED
CHAPTER II—COSETTE’S APPREHENSIONS
CHAPTER III—ENRICHED WITH COMMENTARIES BY TOUSSAINT
CHAPTER IV—A HEART BENEATH A STONE
CHAPTER V—COSETTE AFTER THE LETTER
CHAPTER VI—OLD PEOPLE ARE MADE TO GO OUT OPPORTUNELY
BOOK SIXTH—LITTLE GAVROCHE
CHAPTER I—THE MALICIOUS PLAYFULNESS OF THE WIND
CHAPTER II—IN WHICH LITTLE GAVROCHE EXTRACTS PROFIT FROM NAPOLEON THE
GREAT
CHAPTER III—THE VICISSITUDES OF FLIGHT
BOOK SEVENTH—SLANG
CHAPTER I—ORIGIN
CHAPTER II—ROOTS
CHAPTER III—SLANG WHICH WEEPS AND SLANG WHICH LAUGHS
CHAPTER IV—THE TWO DUTIES: TO WATCH AND TO HOPE
BOOK EIGHTH—ENCHANTMENTS AND DESOLATIONS
CHAPTER I—FULL LIGHT
CHAPTER II—THE BEWILDERMENT OF PERFECT HAPPINESS
CHAPTER III—THE BEGINNING OF SHADOW
CHAPTER IV—A CAB RUNS IN ENGLISH AND BARKS IN SLANG
CHAPTER V—THINGS OF THE NIGHT
CHAPTER VI—MARIUS BECOMES PRACTICAL ONCE MORE TO THE EXTENT OF GIVING
COSETTE HIS ADDRESS
CHAPTER VII—THE OLD HEART AND THE YOUNG HEART IN THE PRESENCE OF EACH
OTHER
BOOK NINTH—WHITHER ARE THEY GOING?
CHAPTER I—JEAN VALJEAN
CHAPTER II—MARIUS
CHAPTER III—M. MABEUF
BOOK TENTH—THE 5TH OF JUNE, 1832
CHAPTER I—THE SURFACE OF THE QUESTION
CHAPTER II—THE ROOT OF THE MATTER
CHAPTER III—A BURIAL; AN OCCASION TO BE BORN AGAIN
CHAPTER IV—THE EBULLITIONS OF FORMER DAYS
CHAPTER V—ORIGINALITY OF PARIS
BOOK ELEVENTH—THE ATOM FRATERNIZES WITH THE HURRICANE
CHAPTER I—SOME EXPLANATIONS WITH REGARD TO THE ORIGIN OF GAVROCHE’S
POETRY.
CHAPTER II—GAVROCHE ON THE MARCH
CHAPTER III—JUST INDIGNATION OF A HAIR-DRESSER
CHAPTER IV—THE CHILD IS AMAZED AT THE OLD MAN
CHAPTER V—THE OLD MAN
CHAPTER VI—RECRUITS
BOOK TWELFTH—CORINTHE
CHAPTER I—HISTORY OF CORINTHE FROM ITS FOUNDATION
CHAPTER II—PRELIMINARY GAYETIES
CHAPTER III—NIGHT BEGINS TO DESCEND UPON GRANTAIRE
CHAPTER IV—AN ATTEMPT TO CONSOLE THE WIDOW HUCHELOUP
CHAPTER V—PREPARATIONS
CHAPTER VI—WAITING
CHAPTER VII—THE MAN RECRUITED IN THE RUE DES BILLETTES
CHAPTER VIII—MANY INTERROGATION POINTS WITH REGARD TO A CERTAIN LE
CABUC
BOOK THIRTEENTH—MARIUS ENTERS THE SHADOW
CHAPTER I—FROM THE RUE PLUMET TO THE QUARTIER SAINT-DENIS
CHAPTER II—AN OWL’S VIEW OF PARIS
CHAPTER III—THE EXTREME EDGE
BOOK FOURTEENTH—THE GRANDEURS OF DESPAIR
CHAPTER I—THE FLAG: ACT FIRST
CHAPTER II—THE FLAG: ACT SECOND
CHAPTER III—GAVROCHE WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER TO ACCEPT ENJOLRAS’
CARBINE
CHAPTER IV—THE BARREL OF POWDER
CHAPTER V—END OF THE VERSES OF JEAN PROUVAIRE
CHAPTER VI—THE AGONY OF DEATH AFTER THE AGONY OF LIFE
CHAPTER VII—GAVROCHE AS A PROFOUND CALCULATOR OF DISTANCES
BOOK FIFTEENTH—THE RUE DE L’HOMME ARMÉ
CHAPTER I—A DRINKER IS A BABBLER
CHAPTER II—THE STREET URCHIN AN ENEMY OF LIGHT
CHAPTER III—WHILE COSETTE AND TOUSSAINT ARE ASLEEP
CHAPTER IV—GAVROCHE’S EXCESS OF ZEAL
VOLUME V—JEAN VALJEAN
BOOK FIRST—THE WAR BETWEEN FOUR WALLS
CHAPTER I—THE CHARYBDIS OF THE FAUBOURG SAINT ANTOINE AND THE SCYLLA
CHAPTER II—WHAT IS TO BE DONE IN THE ABYSS IF ONE DOES NOT CONVERSE
CHAPTER III—LIGHT AND SHADOW
CHAPTER IV—MINUS FIVE, PLUS ONE
CHAPTER V—THE HORIZON WHICH ONE BEHOLDS FROM THE SUMMIT OF A BARRICADE
CHAPTER VI—MARIUS HAGGARD, JAVERT LACONIC
CHAPTER VII—THE SITUATION BECOMES AGGRAVATED
CHAPTER VIII—THE ARTILLERY-MEN COMPEL PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
CHAPTER IX—EMPLOYMENT OF THE OLD TALENTS OF A POACHER AND THAT
INFALLIBLE MARKSMANSHIP WHICH INFLUENCED THE CONDEMNATION OF 1796
CHAPTER X—DAWN
CHAPTER XI—THE SHOT WHICH MISSES NOTHING AND KILLS NO ONE
CHAPTER XII—DISORDER A PARTISAN OF ORDER
CHAPTER XIII—PASSING GLEAMS
CHAPTER XIV—WHEREIN WILL APPEAR THE NAME OF ENJOLRAS’ MISTRESS
CHAPTER XV—GAVROCHE OUTSIDE
CHAPTER XVI—HOW FROM A BROTHER ONE BECOMES A FATHER
CHAPTER XVII—MORTUUS PATER FILIUM MORITURUM EXPECTAT
CHAPTER XVIII—THE VULTURE BECOME PREY
CHAPTER XIX—JEAN VALJEAN TAKES HIS REVENGE
CHAPTER XX—THE DEAD ARE IN THE RIGHT AND THE LIVING ARE NOT IN THE
WRONG
CHAPTER XXI—THE HEROES
CHAPTER XXII—FOOT TO FOOT
CHAPTER XXIII—ORESTES FASTING AND PYLADES DRUNK
CHAPTER XXIV—PRISONER
BOOK SECOND—THE INTESTINE OF THE LEVIATHAN
CHAPTER I—THE LAND IMPOVERISHED BY THE SEA
CHAPTER II—ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE SEWER
CHAPTER III—BRUNESEAU
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V—PRESENT PROGRESS
CHAPTER VI—FUTURE PROGRESS
BOOK THIRD—MUD BUT THE SOUL
CHAPTER I—THE SEWER AND ITS SURPRISES
CHAPTER II—EXPLANATION
CHAPTER III—THE “SPUN” MAN
CHAPTER IV—HE ALSO BEARS HIS CROSS
CHAPTER V—IN THE CASE OF SAND AS IN THAT OF WOMAN, THERE IS A FINENESS
WHICH IS TREACHEROUS
CHAPTER VI—THE FONTIS
CHAPTER VII—ONE SOMETIMES RUNS AGROUND WHEN ONE FANCIES THAT ONE IS
DISEMBARKING
CHAPTER VIII—THE TORN COAT-TAIL
CHAPTER IX—MARIUS PRODUCES ON SOME ONE WHO IS A JUDGE OF THE MATTER,
THE EFFECT OF BEING DEAD
CHAPTER X—RETURN OF THE SON WHO WAS PRODIGAL OF HIS LIFE
CHAPTER XI—CONCUSSION IN THE ABSOLUTE
CHAPTER XII—THE GRANDFATHER
BOOK FOURTH—JAVERT DERAILED
CHAPTER I
BOOK FIFTH—GRANDSON AND GRANDFATHER
CHAPTER I—IN WHICH THE TREE WITH THE ZINC PLASTER APPEARS AGAIN
CHAPTER II—MARIUS, EMERGING FROM CIVIL WAR, MAKES READY FOR DOMESTIC
WAR
CHAPTER III—MARIUS ATTACKED
CHAPTER IV—MADEMOISELLE GILLENORMAND ENDS BY NO LONGER THINKING IT A
BAD THING THAT M. FAUCHELEVENT SHOULD HAVE ENTERED WITH SOMETHING
UNDER HIS ARM
CHAPTER V—DEPOSIT YOUR MONEY IN A FOREST RATHER THAN WITH A NOTARY
CHAPTER VI—THE TWO OLD MEN DO EVERYTHING, EACH ONE AFTER HIS OWN
FASHION, TO RENDER COSETTE HAPPY
CHAPTER VII—THE EFFECTS OF DREAMS MINGLED WITH HAPPINESS
CHAPTER VIII—TWO MEN IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND
BOOK SIXTH—THE SLEEPLESS NIGHT
CHAPTER I—THE 16TH OF FEBRUARY, 1833
CHAPTER II—JEAN VALJEAN STILL WEARS HIS ARM IN A SLING
CHAPTER III—THE INSEPARABLE
CHAPTER IV—THE IMMORTAL LIVER
BOOK SEVENTH—THE LAST DRAUGHT FROM THE CUP
CHAPTER I—THE SEVENTH CIRCLE AND THE EIGHTH HEAVEN
CHAPTER II—THE OBSCURITIES WHICH A REVELATION CAN CONTAIN
BOOK EIGHTH—FADING AWAY OF THE TWILIGHT
CHAPTER I—THE LOWER CHAMBER
CHAPTER II—ANOTHER STEP BACKWARDS
CHAPTER III—THEY RECALL THE GARDEN OF THE RUE PLUMET
CHAPTER IV—ATTRACTION AND EXTINCTION
BOOK NINTH—SUPREME SHADOW, SUPREME DAWN
CHAPTER I—PITY FOR THE UNHAPPY, BUT INDULGENCE FOR THE HAPPY
CHAPTER II—LAST FLICKERINGS OF A LAMP WITHOUT OIL
CHAPTER III—A PEN IS HEAVY TO THE MAN WHO LIFTED THE FAUCHELEVENT’S
CART
CHAPTER IV—A BOTTLE OF INK WHICH ONLY SUCCEEDED IN WHITENING
CHAPTER V—A NIGHT BEHIND WHICH THERE IS DAY
CHAPTER VI—THE GRASS COVERS AND THE RAIN EFFACES
LETTER TO M. DAELLI
FOOTNOTES:
List of Illustrations
Bookshelf
Bookcover
Frontpapers
Frontispiece Volume One
Titlepage Volume One
Titlepage Verso
The Comforter
The Fall
Awakened
Cossette Sweeping
Candlesticks Into the Fire
Father Champmathieu on Trial
Frontispiece Volume Two
Titlepage Volume Two
The Ship Orion, an Accident
The Gorbeau Hovel
The Black Hunt
Javert on the Hunt
The Resurrection
Royalist Bank-note
Frontispiece Volume Three
Titlepage Volume Three
Little Gavroche
Friends of the A B C
Excellence of Misfortune
Rose in Misery
Red Hot Chisel
Snatched up a Paving Stone
Frontispiece Volume Four
Titlepage Volume Four
A Street Orator
Code Table
Succor from Below
Cosette With Letter
Slang
The Grandeurs of Despair
Frontispiece Volume Five
Titlepage Volume Five
Last Drop from the Cup
The Twilight Decline
Darkness
LES MISÉRABLES
PREFACE
So long as there shall exist, by virtue of law and custom, decrees of
damnation pronounced by society, artificially creating hells amid the
civilization of earth, and adding the element of human fate to divine
destiny; so long as the three great problems of the century—the
degradation of man through pauperism, the corruption of woman through
hunger, the crippling of children through lack of light—are unsolved;
so long as social asphyxia is possible in any part of the world;—in
other words, and with a still wider significance, so long as ignorance
and poverty exist on earth, books of the nature of Les Misérables
cannot fail to be of use.
HAUTEVILLE HOUSE, 1862.
VOLUME I
FANTINE
BOOK FIRST—A JUST MAN
CHAPTER I—M. MYRIEL
In 1815, M. Charles-François-Bienvenu Myriel was Bishop of D—— He was
an old man of about seventy-five years of age; he had occupied the see
of D—— since 1806.
Although this detail has no connection whatever with the real substance
of what we are about to relate, it will not be superfluous, if merely
for the sake of exactness in all points, to mention here the various
rumors and remarks which had been in circulation about him from the
very moment when he arrived in the diocese. True or false, that which
is said of men often occupies as important a place in their lives, and
above all in their destinies, as that which they do. M. Myriel was the
son of a councillor of the Parliament of Aix; hence he belonged to the
nobility of the bar. It was said that his father, destining him to be
the heir of his own post, had married him at a very early age, eighteen
or twenty, in accordance with a custom which is rather widely prevalent
in parliamentary families. In spite of this marriage, however, it was
said that Charles Myriel created a great deal of talk. He was well
formed, though rather short in stature, elegant, graceful, intelligent;
the whole of the first portion of his life had been devoted to the
world and to gallantry.
The Revolution came; events succeeded each other with precipitation;
the parliamentary families, decimated, pursued, hunted down, were
dispersed. M. Charles Myriel emigrated to Italy at the very beginning
of the Revolution. There his wife died of a malady of the chest, from
which she had long suffered. He had no children. What took place next
in the fate of M. Myriel? The ruin of the French society of the olden
days, the fall of his own family, the tragic spectacles of ’93, which
were, perhaps, even more alarming to the emigrants who viewed them from
a distance, with the magnifying powers of terror,—did these cause the
ideas of renunciation and solitude to germinate in him? Was he, in the
midst of these distractions, these affections which absorbed his life,
suddenly smitten with one of those mysterious and terrible blows which
sometimes overwhelm, by striking to his heart, a man whom public
catastrophes would not shake, by striking at his existence and his