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href="#link2HCH0236">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 fortune? No one could have told: all that was known was, that when he returned from Italy he was a priest.

In 1804, M. Myriel was the Curé of B—— [Brignolles]. He was already advanced in years, and lived in a very retired manner.

About the epoch of the coronation, some petty affair connected with his curacy—just what, is not precisely known—took him to Paris. Among other powerful persons to whom he went to solicit aid for his parishioners was M. le Cardinal Fesch. One day, when the Emperor had come to visit his uncle, the worthy Curé, who was waiting in the anteroom, found himself present when His Majesty passed. Napoleon, on finding himself observed with a certain curiosity by this old man, turned round and said abruptly:—

“Who is this good man who is staring at me?”

“Sire,” said M. Myriel, “you are looking at a good man, and I at a great man. Each of us can profit by it.”

That very evening, the Emperor asked the Cardinal the name of the Curé, and some time afterwards M. Myriel was utterly astonished to learn

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