Les Misérables

Victor Hugo

• Publisher: Youcanprint
• Year: 2017
• Topic: Literature
• eBook ISBN:
  9788892683624
• Subtopic: Classics
• Index: Literature

Les Misérables (1862) is a novel by French author Victor Hugo, and among the best-known novels of the 19th century. It follows the lives and interactions of several French characters over a twenty year period in the early 19th century that starts in the year of Napoleon's final defeat. Principally focusing on the struggles of the protagonist—ex-convict Jean Valjean—who seeks to redeem himself, the novel also examines the impact of Valjean's actions for the sake of social commentary. It examines the nature of good, evil, and the law, in a sweeping story that expounds upon the history of France, architecture of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, law, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. Les Misérables is known to many through its numerous stage and screen adaptations, of which the most famous is the stage musical of the same name, sometimes abbreviated "Les Mis" or "Les Miz".

VOLUME I.—FANTINE.

 

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.

FANTINE

 

BOOK FIRST—A JUST MAN

 

CHAPTER I—M. MYRIEL

In 1815, M. Charles-François-Bienvenu Myriel was Bishop ofD—— He was anold man of about seventy-five years ofage; he had occupied the see of D—— since 1806.

Although this detail has no connection whatever with the realsubstance of what we are about to relate, it will not besuperfluous, if merely for the sake of exactness in all points, tomention here the various rumors and remarks which had been incirculation about him from the very moment when he arrived in thediocese. True or false, that which is said of men often occupies asimportant a place in their lives, and aboveall in their destinies,as that which they do. M. Myriel was the son of a councillor of theParliament of Aix; hence he belonged to the nobility of the bar. Itwas said that his father, destining him to be the heir of his ownpost, had married him at a very early age, eighteen or twenty, inaccordance with a custom which is rather widely prevalent inparliamentary families. In spite of this marriage, however, it wassaid that Charles Myriel created a great deal of talk. He was wellformed, though rather short in stature, elegant, graceful,intelligent; the whole of the first portion of his life had beendevoted to the world and to gallantry.

The Revolution came; events succeeded each other withprecipitation; the parliamentary families, decimated,pursued,hunted down, were dispersed. M. Charles Myriel emigrated toItaly at the very beginning of the Revolution. There his wife diedof a malady of the chest, from which she had long suffered. He hadno children. What took place next in the fate of M. Myriel? Theruin of the French society of the olden days, the fall of his ownfamily, the tragic spectacles of ‘93, which were, perhaps,even more alarming to the emigrants who viewed them from adistance, with the magnifying powers of terror,—did thesecause the ideas of renunciation and solitude to germinate in him?Was he, in the midst of these distractions, these affections whichabsorbed his life, suddenly smitten with one of those mysteriousand terrible blows which sometimes overwhelm, by striking to hisheart, a man whom public catastrophes would not shake, by strikingat his existence and his fortune? No one could have told: all thatwas known was, that when he returned from Italy he was apriest.

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

About the epoch of the coronation, some petty affair connectedwith his curacy—just what, is not precisely known—tookhim to Paris. Among other powerful persons to whom he went tosolicit aid forhis 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 HisMajesty passed. Napoleon, on finding himself observed with acertain curiosity by this old man, turned round and saidabruptly:—

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

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

That very evening, the Emperor asked the Cardinalthe name of theCuré, and some time afterwards M. Myriel was utterlyastonished to learn that he had been appointed Bishop ofD——

What truth was there, after all, in the stories which wereinvented as to the early portion of M. Myriel’s life? No oneknew.Very few families had been acquainted with the Myriel familybefore the Revolution.

M. Myriel had to undergo the fate of every newcomer in a littletown, where there are many mouths which talk, and very few headswhich think. He was obliged to undergo it although he was a bishop,and because he was a bishop. But after all, the rumors with whichhis name was connected were rumors only,—noise, sayings,words; less than words—palabres, as the energetic language ofthe South expresses it.

However that may be, after nine years of episcopal power and ofresidence in D——, all the stories and subjects ofconversation which engross petty towns and petty people at theoutset had fallen into profound oblivion. No one would have daredto mention them; no one would havedared to recall them.

M. Myriel had arrived at D—— accompanied by anelderly spinster, Mademoiselle Baptistine, who was his sister, andten years his junior.

Their only domestic was a female servant of the same age asMademoiselle Baptistine, and named Madame Magloire, who, afterhaving beenthe servant of M. le Curé, now assumed the doubletitle of maid to Mademoiselle and housekeeper to Monseigneur.

Mademoiselle Baptistine was a long, pale, thin, gentle creature;she realized the ideal expressed by the word“respectable”; for it seems that a woman must needs bea mother in order to be venerable. She had never been pretty; herwhole life, which had been nothing but a succession of holy deeds,had finally conferred upon her a sort of pallor andtransparency;and as she advanced in years she had acquired what maybe called the beauty of goodness. What had been leanness in heryouth had become transparency in her maturity; and this diaphaneityallowed the angel to be seen. She was a soul rather than a virgin.Her person seemed made of a shadow; there was hardly sufficientbody to provide for sex; a little matter enclosing a light; largeeyes forever drooping;—a mere pretext for a soul’sremaining on the earth.

Madame Magloire was a little, fat, white old woman,corpulent andbustling; always out of breath,—in the first place, becauseof her activity, and in the next, because of her asthma.

On his arrival, M. Myriel was installed in the episcopal palacewith the honors required by the Imperial decrees, which classabishop immediately after a major-general. The mayor and thepresident paid the first call on him, and he, in turn, paid thefirst call on the general and the prefect.

The installation over, the town waited to see its bishop atwork.

CHAPTER II—M. MYRIEL BECOMES M. WELCOME

The episcopal palace of D—— adjoins thehospital.

The episcopal palace was a huge and beautiful house, built ofstone at the beginning of the last century by M. Henri Puget,Doctor of Theology of the Faculty of Paris, Abbé of Simore,who had been Bishop of D—— in 1712. This palace was agenuine seignorial residence. Everything about it had a grandair,—the apartments of the Bishop, the drawing-rooms, thechambers, the principal courtyard, which was very large, with walksencircling it under arcades in the old Florentine fashion, andgardens planted with magnificent trees. In the dining-room, a longand superb gallery which was situated on the ground floor andopened on the gardens, M. Henri Puget had entertained in state, onJuly29, 1714, My Lords Charles Brûlart de Genlis, archbishop;Prince d’Embrun; Antoine de Mesgrigny, the capuchin, Bishopof Grasse; Philippe de Vendôme, Grand Prior of France,Abbé of Saint Honoré de Lérins; François deBerton de Crillon, bishop, Baron de Vence; César de Sabran deForcalquier, bishop, Seignor of Glandève; and Jean Soanen,Priest of the Oratory, preacher in ordinary to the king, bishop,Seignor of Senez. The portraits of these seven reverend personagesdecorated this apartment; and this memorable date, the 29th ofJuly, 1714, was there engraved in letters of gold on a table ofwhite marble.

The hospital was a low and narrow building of a single story,with a small garden.

Three days after his arrival, the Bishop visited the hospital.The visitended, he had the director requested to be so good as tocome to his house.

“Monsieur the director of the hospital,” said he tohim, “how many sick people have you at the presentmoment?”

“Twenty-six, Monseigneur.”

“That was the number which I counted,” said theBishop.

“The beds,” pursued the director, “are verymuch crowded against each other.”

“That is what I observed.”

“The halls are nothing but rooms, and it is withdifficulty that the air can be changed in them.”

“So it seems to me.”

“And then, when there is a ray of sun, the garden is verysmall for the convalescents.”

“That was what I said to myself.”

“In case of epidemics,—we have had the typhus feverthis year; we had the sweating sickness two years ago, and ahundred patients at times,—we know notwhat to do.”

“That is the thought which occurred to me.”

“What would you have, Monseigneur?” said thedirector. “One must resign one’s self.”

This conversation took place in the gallery dining-room on theground floor.

The Bishop remained silent for a moment; then he turned abruptlyto the director of the hospital.

“Monsieur,” said he, “how many beds do youthink this hall alone would hold?”

“Monseigneur’s dining-room?” exclaimed thestupefied director.

The Bishop cast a glance round the apartment, andseemed to betaking measures and calculations with his eyes.

“It would hold full twenty beds,” said he, as thoughspeaking to himself. Then, raising his voice:—

“Hold, Monsieur the director of the hospital, I will tellyou something. There is evidently amistake here. There arethirty-six of you, in five or six small rooms. There are three ofus here, and we have room for sixty. There is some mistake, I tellyou; you have my house, and I have yours. Give me back my house;you are at home here.”

On the following day the thirty-six patients were installed inthe Bishop’s palace, and the Bishop was settled in thehospital.

M. Myriel had no property, his family having been ruined by theRevolution. His sister was in receipt of a yearly income of fivehundred francs, which sufficed for her personal wants at thevicarage. M. Myriel received from the State, in his quality ofbishop, a salary of fifteen thousand francs. On the very day whenhe took up his abode in the hospital, M. Myriel settled on thedisposition of this sum once for all, in the following manner. Wetranscribe here a note made by his own hand:—

NOTE ON THE REGULATION OF MY HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES.

For the little seminary . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1,500 livresSociety of the mission . . .. . . . .. . . . . . 100 ”For the Lazarists of Montdidier . . . . . . . . .. 100 ”Seminary forforeign missions in Paris . . . . .. 200 ”Congregationof the Holy Spirit . . . . . . . . .. 150 ”Religiousestablishments of theHoly Land . . . .. 100 ”Charitablematernity societies . . . . . . . . .. 300 ”Extra, forthat of Arles . . . . . . . . . . . .. 50 ”Workfor the amelioration of prisons . . . . . .. 400 ”Work for therelief anddelivery of prisoners . . . 500 ”To liberate fathers of families incarceratedfor debt 1,000 ”Addition to the salary ofthe poor teachers of thediocese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 2,000 ”Public granaryof the Hautes-Alpes . . . . . . .. 100 ”Congregationof the ladies of D——, of Manosque, and ofSisteron, forthe gratuitous instruction of poorgirls . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 1,500 ”Forthe poor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6,000 ”My personalexpenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,000 ”———Total . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000 ”

M. Myriel made no change in this arrangement during the entireperiod that he occupied the see of D—— As has beenseen,he called itregulating his household expenses.

This arrangement was accepted with absolute submission byMademoiselle Baptistine. This holy woman regarded Monseigneur ofD—— as at one and the same time her brother and herbishop, her friend according tothe flesh and her superior accordingto the Church. She simply loved and venerated him. When he spoke,she bowed; when he acted, she yielded her adherence. Their onlyservant, Madame Magloire, grumbled a little. It will be observedthat Monsieur the Bishophad reserved for himself only one thousandlivres, which, added to the pension of Mademoiselle Baptistine,made fifteen hundred francs a year. On these fifteen hundred francsthese two old women and the old man subsisted.

And when a village curate came toD——, the Bishopstill found means to entertain him, thanks to the severe economy ofMadame Magloire, and to the intelligent administration ofMademoiselle Baptistine.

One day, after he had been in D—— about threemonths, the Bishop said:—

“And still I amquite cramped with it all!”

“I should think so!” exclaimed Madame Magloire.“Monseigneur has not even claimed the allowance which thedepartment owes him for the expense of his carriage in town, andfor his journeys about the diocese. It was customary forbishops informer days.”

“Hold!” cried the Bishop, “you are quiteright, Madame Magloire.”

And he made his demand.

Some time afterwards the General Council took this demand underconsideration, and voted him an annual sum of three thousandfrancs, under this heading:Allowance to M. the Bishop for expensesof carriage, expenses of posting, and expenses of pastoralvisits.

This provoked a great outcry among the local burgesses; and asenator of the Empire, a former member of the Council of the FiveHundred which favored the 18 Brumaire, and who was provided with amagnificent senatorial office in the vicinity of the town ofD——, wrote to M. Bigot de Préameneu, the ministerof public worship, a very angry and confidential note on thesubject, from which we extract these authentic lines:—

“Expenses of carriage? What can be done with it in a townof less than four thousand inhabitants? Expenses of journeys? Whatis the use of these trips, in the first place? Next, how can theposting be accomplished in these mountainous parts? There are noroads. No one travels otherwise than on horseback. Even the bridgebetween Durance and Château-Arnoux can barely supportox-teams. These priests are all thus, greedy and avaricious. Thisman played the good priest when he firstcame. Now he does like therest; he must have a carriage and a posting-chaise, he must haveluxuries, like the bishops of the olden days. Oh, all thispriesthood! Things will not go well, M. le Comte, until the Emperorhas freed us from these black-cappedrascals. Down with the Pope![Matters were getting embroiled with Rome.] For my part, I am forCæsar alone.” Etc., etc.

On the other hand, this affair afforded great delight to MadameMagloire. “Good,” said she to Mademoiselle Baptistine;“Monseigneur began with other people, but he has had to windup wit...

Table of contents

• Victor Hugo
• VOLUME I.—FANTINE.
• PREFACE
• FANTINE
• BOOK FIRST—A JUST MAN
• CHAPTER I—M. MYRIEL
• CHAPTER II—M. MYRIEL BECOMES M. WELCOME
• CHAPTER III—A HARD BISHOPRIC FOR A GOOD BISHOP
• CHAPTER IV—WORKS CORRESPONDING TO WORDS
• CHAPTER V—MONSEIGNEUR BIENVENU MADE HIS CASSOCKS LAST TOO LONG
• CHAPTER VI—WHO GUARDED HIS HOUSE FOR HIM
• CHAPTER VII—CRAVATTE
• CHAPTER VIII—PHILOSOPHY AFTER DRINKING
• CHAPTER IX—THE BROTHER AS DEPICTED BY THE SISTER
• CHAPTER X—THE BISHOP IN THE PRESENCE OF AN UNKNOWN LIGHT
• CHAPTER XI—A RESTRICTION
• CHAPTER XII—THE SOLITUDE OF MONSEIGNEUR WELCOME
• CHAPTER XIII—WHAT HE BELIEVED
• CHAPTER XIV—WHAT HE THOUGHT
• BOOK SECOND—THE FALL
• CHAPTER I—THE EVENING OF A DAY OF WALKING
• CHAPTER II—PRUDENCE COUNSELLED TO WISDOM.
• CHAPTER III—THE HEROISM OF PASSIVE OBEDIENCE.
• CHAPTER IV—DETAILS CONCERNING THE CHEESE-DAIRIES OF PONTARLIER.
• CHAPTER V—TRANQUILLITY
• CHAPTER VI—JEAN VALJEAN
• CHAPTER VII—THE INTERIOR OF DESPAIR
• CHAPTER VIII—BILLOWS AND SHADOWS
• CHAPTER IX—NEW TROUBLES
• CHAPTER X—THE MAN AROUSED
• CHAPTER XI—WHAT HE DOES
• CHAPTER XII—THE BISHOP WORKS
• CHAPTER XIII—LITTLE GERVAIS
• BOOK THIRD.—IN THE YEAR 1817
• CHAPTER I—THE YEAR 1817
• CHAPTER II—A DOUBLE QUARTETTE
• CHAPTER III—FOUR AND FOUR
• CHAPTER IV—THOLOMYÈS IS SO MERRY THAT HESINGS A SPANISH DITTY
• CHAPTER V—AT BOMBARDA’S
• CHAPTER VI—A CHAPTER INWHICH THEY ADORE EACH OTHER
• CHAPTER VII—THE WISDOM OF THOLOMYÈS
• CHAPTER VIII—THE DEATH OF A HORSE
• CHAPTER IX—A MERRY END TO MIRTH
• BOOK FOURTH.—TO CONFIDE IS SOMETIMES TO DELIVER INTO A PERSON’S POWER
• CHAPTER I—ONE MOTHER MEETS ANOTHER MOTHER
• CHAPTER II—FIRST SKETCH OF TWO UNPREPOSSESSING FIGURES
• CHAPTER III—THE LARK
• BOOK FIFTH.—THE DESCENT.
• CHAPTER I—THE HISTORY OF A PROGRESS IN BLACK GLASS TRINKETS
• CHAPTER II—MADELEINE
• CHAPTER III—SUMS DEPOSITED WITH LAFFITTE
• CHAPTER IV—M. MADELEINE IN MOURNING
• CHAPTER V—VAGUE FLASHES ON THE HORIZON
• CHAPTER VI—FATHER FAUCHELEVENT
• CHAPTER VII—FAUCHELEVENT BECOMES A GARDENER IN PARIS
• CHAPTER VIII—MADAME VICTURNIEN EXPENDS THIRTY FRANCS ON MORALITY
• CHAPTER IX—MADAME VICTURNIEN’SSUCCESS
• CHAPTER X—RESULT OF THE SUCCESS
• CHAPTER XI—CHRISTUS NOS LIBERAVIT
• CHAPTER XII—M. BAMATABOIS’S INACTIVITY
• CHAPTER XIII—THE SOLUTION OF SOME QUESTIONS CONNECTED WITH THE MUNICIPAL POLICE
• BOOK SIXTH.—JAVERT
• CHAPTER I—THE BEGINNING OF REPOSE
• CHAPTER II—HOW JEAN MAY BECOME CHAMP
• BOOK SEVENTH.—THE CHAMPMATHIEU AFFAIR
• CHAPTER I—SISTER SIMPLICE
• CHAPTER II—THE PERSPICACITY OF MASTER SCAUFFLAIRE
• CHAPTER III—A TEMPEST IN A SKULL
• CHAPTER IV—FORMS ASSUMED BY SUFFERINGDURING SLEEP
• CHAPTER V—HINDRANCES
• CHAPTER VI—SISTER SIMPLICE PUT TO THE PROOF
• CHAPTER VII—THE TRAVELLER ON HIS ARRIVAL TAKES PRECAUTIONS FOR DEPARTURE
• CHAPTER VIII—AN ENTRANCE BY FAVOR
• CHAPTER IX—A PLACE WHERE CONVICTIONS ARE IN PROCESS OF FORMATION
• CHAPTER X—THE SYSTEM OF DENIALS
• CHAPTER XI—CHAMPMATHIEU MORE AND MORE ASTONISHED
• BOOK EIGHTH.—A COUNTER-BLOW
• CHAPTER I—IN WHAT MIRROR M. MADELEINE CONTEMPLATES HIS HAIR
• CHAPTER II—FANTINE HAPPY
• CHAPTER III—JAVERT SATISFIED
• CHAPTER IV—AUTHORITY REASSERTS ITS RIGHTS
• CHAPTER V—A SUITABLE TOMB
• VOLUME II.—COSETTE
• BOOK FIRST.—WATERLOO
• CHAPTER I—WHAT IS MET WITH ON THE WAY FROM NIVELLES
• CHAPTER II—HOUGOMONT
• CHAPTER III—THE EIGHTEENTH OF JUNE, 1815
• CHAPTER IV—A
• CHAPTER V—THE QUID OBSCURUM OF BATTLES
• CHAPTER VI—FOUR O’CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON
• CHAPTER VII—NAPOLEON INA GOOD HUMOR
• CHAPTER VIII—THE EMPEROR PUTS A QUESTION TO THE GUIDE LACOSTE
• CHAPTER IX—THE UNEXPECTED
• CHAPTER X—THEPLATEAU OF MONT-SAINT-JEAN
• CHAPTER XI—A BADGUIDE TO NAPOLEON; A GOOD GUIDE TO BÜLOW
• CHAPTER XII—THE GUARD
• CHAPTER XIII—THE CATASTROPHE
• CHAPTER XIV—THE LAST SQUARE
• CHAPTER XV—CAMBRONNE
• CHAPTER XVI—QUOT LIBRAS IN DUCE?
• CHAPTER XVII—IS WATERLOO TO BE CONSIDERED GOOD?
• CHAPTER XVIII—A RECRUDESCENCE OF DIVINE RIGHT
• CHAPTER XIX—THE BATTLE-FIELD AT NIGHT
• BOOKSECOND.—THE SHIP ORION
• CHAPTER I—NUMBER 24,601 BECOMES NUMBER 9,430
• CHAPTER II—IN WHICH THE READER WILL PERUSE TWO VERSES, WHICH AREOF THE DEVIL’S COMPOSITION, POSSIBLY
• CHAPTER III—THE ANKLE-CHAIN MUST HAVE UNDERGONE A CERTAIN PREPARATORY MANIPULATION TO BE THUS BROKEN WITH A BLOW FROM A HAMMER
• BOOKTHIRD.—ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THE PROMISE MADE TO THE DEAD WOMAN
• CHAPTER I—THE WATER QUESTION AT MONTFERMEIL
• CHAPTER II—TWO COMPLETE PORTRAITS
• CHAPTER III—MEN MUST HAVE WINE, AND HORSES MUST HAVE WATER
• CHAPTER IV—ENTRANCE ON THE SCENE OF A DOLL
• CHAPTER V—THE LITTLE ONE ALL ALONE
• CHAPTER VI—WHICH POSSIBLY PROVES BOULATRUELLE’S INTELLIGENCE
• CHAPTER VII—COSETTE SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE STRANGER IN THE DARK
• CHAPTER VIII—THE UNPLEASANTNESS OF RECEIVING INTO ONE’S HOUSE A POOR MAN WHO MAY BE A RICH MAN
• CHAPTER IX— THÉNARDIER AND HIS MANŒUVRES
• CHAPTER X—HE WHO SEEKS TO BETTER HIMSELF MAY RENDER HIS SITUATION WORSE
• CHAPTER XI—NUMBER 9,430 REAPPEARS, AND COSETTE WINS IT IN THE LOTTERY
• BOOK FOURTH.—THE GORBEAU HOVEL
• CHAPTER I—MASTER GORBEAU
• CHAPTER II—A NEST FOR OWL AND A WARBLER
• CHAPTER III—TWO MISFORTUNES MAKE ONE PIECE OF GOOD FORTUNE
• CHAPTER IV—THE REMARKS OF THE PRINCIPAL TENANT
• CHAPTER V—A FIVE-FRANC PIECE FALLS ON THE GROUND AND PRODUCES A TUMULT
• BOOK FIFTH.—FOR A BLACK HUNT, A MUTE PACK
• CHAPTER I—THE ZIGZAGS OF STRATEGY
• CHAPTER II—IT IS LUCKY THAT THE PONT D’AUSTERLITZ BEARS CARRIAGES
• CHAPTER III—TO WIT, THE PLAN OF PARIS IN 1727
• CHAPTER IV—THE GROPINGS OF FLIGHT
• CHAPTER V—WHICH WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLEWITH GAS LANTERNS
• CHAPTER VI—THE BEGINNING OF AN ENIGMA
• CHAPTER VII—CONTINUATION OF THE ENIGMA
• CHAPTER VIII—THE ENIGMA BECOMES DOUBLY MYSTERIOUS
• CHAPTER IX—THE MAN WITH THE BELL
• CHAPTER X—WHICH EXPLAINS HOW JAVERT GOT ON THE SCENT
• BOOK SIXTH.—LE PETIT-PICPUS
• CHAPTER I—NUMBER 62 RUE PETIT-PICPUS
• CHAPTER II—THE OBEDIENCE OF MARTIN VERGA
• CHAPTER III—AUSTERITIES
• CHAPTER IV—GAYETIES
• CHAPTER V—DISTRACTIONS
• CHAPTER VI—THE LITTLE CONVENT
• CHAPTER VII—SOME SILHOUETTES OF THIS DARKNESS
• CHAPTER VIII—POST CORDA LAPIDES
• CHAPTER IX—A CENTURY UNDER A GUIMPE
• CHAPTER X—ORIGIN OF THE PERPETUAL ADORATION
• CHAPTER XI—END OF THE PETIT-PICPUS
• BOOK SEVENTH.—PARENTHESIS
• CHAPTER I—THE CONVENT AS AN ABSTRACT IDEA
• CHAPTER II—THE CONVENT AS AN HISTORICAL FACT
• CHAPTER III—ON WHAT CONDITIONS ONE CAN RESPECT THE PAST
• CHAPTER IV—THE CONVENT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF PRINCIPLES
• CHAPTER V—PRAYER
• CHAPTER VI—THE ABSOLUTE GOODNESS OF PRAYER
• CHAPTER VII—PRECAUTIONS TO BE OBSERVED IN BLAME
• CHAPTER VIII—FAITH, LAW
• BOOK EIGHTH.—CEMETERIES TAKE THAT WHICH IS COMMITTED THEM
• CHAPTER I—WHICH TREATS OF THE MANNER OF ENTERING A CONVENT
• CHAPTER II—FAUCHELEVENT IN THE PRESENCE OF A DIFFICULTY
• CHAPTER III—MOTHER INNOCENTE
• CHAPTER IV—IN WHICH JEAN VALJEAN HAS QUITE THE AIR OF HAVING READ AUSTIN CASTILLEJO
• CHAPTER V—IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BE DRUNK IN ORDER TO BE IMMORTAL
• CHAPTER VI—BETWEEN FOUR PLANKS
• CHAPTER VII—IN WHICH WILL BE FOUND THE ORIGIN OF THE SAYING: DON’T LOSE THE CARD
• CHAPTER VIII—A SUCCESSFUL INTERROGATORY
• CHAPTER IX—CLOISTERED
• VOLUME III—MARIUS.
• BOOK FIRST.—PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
• CHAPTER I—PARVULUS
• CHAPTER II—SOME OF HIS PARTICULAR CHARACTERISTICS
• CHAPTER III—HE IS AGREEABLE
• CHAPTER IV—HE MAY BE OF USE
• CHAPTER V—HIS FRONTIERS
• CHAPTER VI—A BIT OF HISTORY
• CHAPTER VII—THE GAMIN SHOULD HAVE HIS PLACE IN THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF INDIA
• CHAPTER VIII—IN WHICH THE READER WILL FIND A CHARMING SAYING OF THE LAST KING
• CHAPTER IX—THE OLD SOUL OF GAUL
• CHAPTER X—ECCE PARIS, ECCE HOMO
• CHAPTER XI—TO SCOFF, TO REIGN
• CHAPTER XII—THE FUTURE LATENT IN THE PEOPLE
• CHAPTER XIII—LITTLE GAVROCHE
• BOOK SECOND.—THE GREAT BOURGEOIS
• CHAPTER I—NINETY YEARS AND THIRTY-TWO TEETH
• CHAPTER II—LIKE MASTER, LIKE HOUSE
• CHAPTER III—LUC-ESPRIT
• CHAPTER IV—A CENTENARIAN ASPIRANT
• CHAPTER V—BASQUE AND NICOLETTE
• CHAPTER VI—IN WHICH MAGNON AND HER TWO CHILDREN ARE SEEN
• CHAPTER VII—RULE: RECEIVE NO ONE EXCEPT IN THE EVENING
• CHAPTER VIII—TWO DO NOT MAKE A PAIR
• BOOK THIRD.—THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
• CHAPTER I—AN ANCIENT SALON
• CHAPTER II—ONE OF THE RED SPECTRES OF THAT EPOCH
• CHAPTER III—REQUIESCANT
• CHAPTER IV—END OF THE BRIGAND
• CHAPTER V—THE UTILITY OF GOING TO MASS, IN ORDER TO BECOME A REVOLUTIONIST
• CHAPTERVI—THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING MET A WARDEN
• CHAPTER VII—SOME PETTICOAT
• CHAPTER VIII—MARBLE AGAINST GRANITE
• BOOK FOURTH.—THE FRIENDS OF THE A B C
• CHAPTER I—A GROUP WHICH BARELY MISSED BECOMING HISTORIC
• CHAPTER II—BLONDEAU’S FUNERAL ORATION BY BOSSUET
• CHAPTER III—MARIUS’ ASTONISHMENTS
• CHAPTER IV—THE BACK ROOM OF THE CAFÉ MUSAIN
• CHAPTER V—ENLARGEMENT OF HORIZON
• CHAPTER VI—RES ANGUSTA
• BOOK FIFTH.—THE EXCELLENCE OF MISFORTUNE
• CHAPTER I—MARIUS INDIGENT
• CHAPTER II—MARIUS POOR
• CHAPTER III—MARIUS GROWN UP
• CHAPTER IV—M. MABEUF
• CHAPTER V—POVERTY A GOOD NEIGHBOR FOR MISERY
• CHAPTER VI—THE SUBSTITUTE
• BOOK SIXTH.—THE CONJUNCTION OF TWO STARS
• CHAPTER I—THE SOBRIQUET: MODE OF FORMATION OF FAMILY NAMES
• CHAPTER II—LUX FACTA EST
• CHAPTER III—EFFECT OF THE SPRING
• CHAPTER IV—BEGINNING OF A GREAT MALADY
• CHAPTER V—DIVERS CLAPS OF THUNDER FALL ON MA’AM BOUGON
• CHAPTER VI—TAKEN PRISONER
• CHAPTER VII—ADVENTURES OF THE LETTER U DELIVEREDOVER TO CONJECTURES
• CHAPTER VIII—THE VETERANS THEMSELVES CAN BE HAPPY
• CHAPTER IX—ECLIPSE
• BOOK SEVENTH.—PATRON MINETTE
• CHAPTER I—MINES AND MINERS
• CHAPTER II—THE LOWEST DEPTHS
• CHAPTER III—BABET, GUEULEMER, CLAQUESOUS, AND MONTPARNASSE
• CHAPTER IV—COMPOSITION OF THE TROUPE
• BOOK EIGHTH.—THE WICKED POOR MAN
• CHAPTER I—MARIUS, WHILE SEEKING A GIRL IN A BONNET, ENCOUNTERS A MAN IN A CAP
• CHAPTER II—TREASURE TROVE
• CHAPTER III—QUADRIFRONS
• CHAPTER IV—A ROSE IN MISERY
• CHAPTER V—A PROVIDENTIAL PEEP-HOLE
• CHAPTER VI—THE WILD MAN IN HIS LAIR
• CHAPTER VII—STRATEGY AND TACTICS
• CHAPTER VIII—THE RAY OF LIGHT IN THE HOVEL
• CHAPTER IX—JONDRETTE COMES NEAR WEEPING
• CHAPTER X—TARIFF OF LICENSED CABS: TWO FRANCS AN HOUR
• CHAPTER XI—OFFERS OF SERVICE FROM MISERY TO WRETCHEDNESS
• CHAPTER XII—THE USE MADE OF M.LEBLANC’S FIVE-FRANC PIECE
• CHAPTER XIII—SOLUS CUM SOLO, IN LOCO REMOTO, NON COGITABUNTUR ORARE PATER NOSTER
• CHAPTER XIV—IN WHICH A POLICE AGENT BESTOWS TWO FISTFULS ON A LAWYER
• CHAPTER XV—JONDRETTE MAKES HIS PURCHASES
• CHAPTER XVI—IN WHICH WILL BE FOUND THEWORDS TO AN ENGLISH AIR WHICH WAS IN FASHION IN 1832
• CHAPTER XVII—THE USE MADE OF MARIUS’ FIVE-FRANC PIECE
• CHAPTER XVIII—MARIUS’ TWO CHAIRS FORM A VIS-A-VIS
• CHAPTER XIX—OCCUPYING ONE’S SELF WITH OBSCURE DEPTHS
• CHAPTER XX—THE TRAP
• CHAPTER XXI—ONESHOULD ALWAYS BEGIN BY ARRESTING THE VICTIMS
• CHAPTER XXII—THE LITTLE ONE WHO WAS CRYING IN VOLUME TWO
• VOLUME IV.—SAINT-DENIS.
• BOOK FIRST.—A FEW PAGES OF HISTORY
• CHAPTER I—WELL CUT
• CHAPTER II—BADLY SEWED
• CHAPTER III—LOUIS PHILIPPE
• CHAPTER IV—CRACKS BENEATH THE FOUNDATION
• CHAPTER V—FACTS WHENCE HISTORY SPRINGS AND WHICH HISTORY IGNORES
• 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 BEBORN 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. THE INFLUENCE OF AN ACADEMICIAN ON THIS 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 WHOSE NAME MAY NOT HAVE BEEN 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—GAVROCHEWOULD 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 OF THEFAUBOURG DU TEMPLE
• CHAPTER II—WHAT IS TO BE DONE IN THE ABYSS IF ONE DOES NOT CONVERSE
• CHAPTER III—LIGHT AND SHADOW
• CHAPTER IV—MINUSFIVE, PLUS ONE
• CHAPTER V—THE HORIZON WHICH ONEBEHOLDS 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 TAKETHEM SERIOUSLY
• CHAPTER IX—EMPLOYMENT OF THE OLD TALENTSOF 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—PASSINGGLEAMS
• 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—THESEWER 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 LIVER68
• BOOK SEVENTH.—THE LAST DRAUGHT FROM THE CUP
• CHAPTERI—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 THEUNHAPPY, 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