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Fantine was one of those beings who blossom； so to speak； from the dregs of the people。
Though she had emerged from the most unfathomable depths of social shadow； she bore on her brow the sign of the anonymous and the unknown。
She was born at M。 sur M。 Of what parents？
Who can say？
She had never known father or mother。She was called Fantine。
Why Fantine？
She had never borne any other name。
At the epoch of her birth the Directory still existed。She had no family name； she had no family； no baptismal name； the Church no longer existed。
She bore the name which pleased the first random passer…by； who had encountered her； when a very small child； running bare…legged in the street。
She received the name as she received the water from the clouds upon her brow when it rained。She was called little Fantine。
No one knew more than that。
This human creature had entered life in just this way。
At the age of ten； Fantine quitted the town and went to service with some farmers in the neighborhood。
At fifteen she came to Paris 〃to seek her fortune。〃Fantine was beautiful； and remained pure as long as she could。She was a lovely blonde； with fine teeth。
She had gold and pearls for her dowry； but her gold was on her head； and her pearls were in her mouth。
She worked for her living； then； still for the sake of her living； for the heart； also； has its hunger；she loved。
She loved Tholomyes。
An amour for him； passion for her。
The streets of the Latin quarter； filled with throngs of students and grisettes； saw the beginning of their dream。
Fantine had long evaded Tholomyes in the mazes of the hill of the Pantheon； where so many adventurers twine and untwine； but in such a way as constantly to encounter him again。There is a way of avoiding which resembles seeking。
In short； the eclogue took place。
Blachevelle； Listolier； and Fameuil formed a sort of group of which Tholomyes was the head。
It was he who possessed the wit。
Tholomyes was the antique old student； he was rich； he had an ine of four thousand francs； four thousand francs！ a splendid scandal on Mount Sainte…Genevieve。 Tholomyes was a fast man of thirty； and badly preserved。
He was wrinkled and toothless； and he had the beginning of a bald spot； of which he himself said with sadness； the skull at thirty； the knee at forty。
His digestion was mediocre； and he had been attacked by a watering in one eye。
But in proportion as his youth disappeared； gayety was kindled； he replaced his teeth with buffooneries； his hair with mirth； his health with irony； his weeping eye laughed incessantly。
He was dilapidated but still in flower。His youth； which was packing up for departure long before its time； beat a retreat in good order； bursting with laughter； and no one saw anything but fire。
He had had a piece rejected at the Vaudeville。He made a few verses now and then。
In addition to this he doubted everything to the last degree； which is a vast force in the eyes of the weak。
Being thus ironical and bald； he was the leader。Iron is an English word。
Is it possible that irony is derived from it？
One day Tholomyes took the three others aside； with the gesture of an oracle； and said to them：
〃Fantine； Dahlia； Zephine； and Favourite have been teasing us for nearly a year to give them a surprise。
We have promised them solemnly that we would。
They are forever talking about it to us； to me in particular； just as the old women in Naples cry to Saint Januarius； ‘Faccia gialluta； fa o miracolo； Yellow face； perform thy miracle；' so our beauties say to me incessantly； ‘Tholomyes； when will you bring forth your surprise？'
At the same time our parents keep writing to us。Pressure on both sides。
The moment has arrived； it seems to me； let us discuss the question。〃
Thereupon； Tholomyes lowered his voice and articulated something so mirthful； that a vast and enthusiastic grin broke out upon the four mouths simultaneously； and Blachevelle exclaimed； 〃That is an idea。〃
A smoky tap…room presented itself； they entered； and the remainder of their confidential colloquy was lost in shadow。
The result of these shades was a dazzling pleasure party which took place on the following Sunday； the four young men inviting the four young girls。
BOOK THIRD。IN THE YEAR 1817
CHAPTER III
FOUR AND FOUR
It is hard nowadays to picture to one's self what a pleasure…trip of students and grisettes to the country was like； forty…five years ago。The suburbs of Paris are no longer the same； the physiognomy of what may be called circumparisian life has changed pletely in the last half…century； where there was the cuckoo； there is the railway car； where there was a tender…boat； there is now the steamboat； people speak of Fecamp nowadays as they spoke of Saint…Cloud in those days。The Paris of 1862 is a city which has France for its outskirts。
The four couples conscientiously went through with all the country follies possible at that time。
The vacation was beginning； and it was a warm； bright； summer day。
On the preceding day； Favourite； the only one who knew how to write； had written the following to Tholomyes in the name of the four：
〃It is a good hour to emerge from happiness。〃
That is why they rose at five o'clock in the morning。Then they went to Saint…Cloud by the coach； looked at the dry cascade and exclaimed； 〃This must be very beautiful when there is water！〃They breakfasted at the Tete…Noir； where Castaing had not yet been； they treated themselves to a game of ring…throwing under the quincunx of trees of the grand fountain； they ascended Diogenes' lantern； they gambled for macaroons at the roulette establishment of the Pont de Sevres； picked bouquets at Pateaux； bought reed…pipes at Neuilly； ate apple tarts everywhere； and were perfectly happy。
The young girls rustled and chatted like warblers escaped from their cage。
It was a perfect delirium。
From time to time they bestowed little taps on the young men。
Matutinal intoxication of life！ adorable years！ the wings of the dragonfly quiver。
Oh； whoever you may be； do you not remember？
Have you rambled through the brushwood； holding aside the branches； on account of the charming head which is ing on behind you？
Have you slid； laughing； down a slope all wet with rain； with a beloved woman holding your hand； and crying； 〃Ah； my new boots！ what a state they are in！〃
Let us say at once that that merry obstacle； a shower； was lacking in the case of this good…humored party； although Favourite had said as they set out； with a magisterial and maternal tone； 〃The slugs are crawling in the paths；a sign of rain； children。〃
All four were madly pretty。
A good old classic poet； then famous； a good fellow who had an Eleonore； M。 le Chevalier de Labouisse； as he strolled that day beneath the chestnut…trees of Saint…Cloud； saw them pass about ten o'clock in the morning； and exclaimed； 〃There is one too many of them；〃 as he thought of the Graces。Favourite； Blachevelle's friend； the one aged three and twenty； the old one； ran on in front under the great green boughs； jumped the ditches； stalked distractedly over bushes； and presided over this merry…making with the spirit of a young female faun。Zephine and Dahlia； whom chance had made beautiful in such a way that they set each off when they were together； and pleted each other； never left each other； more from an instinct of coquetry than from friendship； and clinging to each other； they assumed English poses； the first keepsakes had just made their appearance； melancholy was dawning for women； as later on； Byronism dawned for men； and the hair of the tender sex began to droop dolefully。
Zephine and Dahlia had their hair dressed in rolls。
Listolier and Fameuil； who were engaged in discussing their professors； explained to Fantine the difference that existed between M。 Delvincourt and M。 Blondeau。
Blachevelle seemed to have been created expressly to carry Favourite's single…bordered； imitation India shawl of Ternaux's manufacture； on his arm on Sundays。
Tholomyes followed； dominating the group。
He was very gay； but one felt the force of government in him； there was dictation in his joviality； his principal ornament was a pair of trousers of elephant…leg pattern of nankeen； with straps of braided copper wire； he carried a stout rattan worth two hundred francs in his hand； and； as he treated himself to everything； a strange thing called a cigar in his mouth。Nothing was sacred to him； he smoked。
〃That Tholomyes is astounding！〃 said the others； with veneration。〃What trousers！
What energy！〃
As for Fantine； she was a joy to behold。
Her splendid teeth had evidently received an office from God；laughter。
She preferred to carry her little hat of sewed straw； with its long white strings； in her hand rather than on her head。
Her thick blond hair； which was inclined to wave； and which easily uncoiled； and which it was necessary to fasten up incessantly； seemed made for the flight of Galatea under the willows。
Her rosy lips babbled enchantingly。The corners of her mouth voluptuously turned up； as in the antique masks of Erigone； had an air of encouraging the audacious； but her long； shadowy lashes drooped discreetly over the jollity of the lower part of the face as though to call a halt。
There was something indescribably harmonious and striking about her entire dress。She wore a gown of mauve barege； little reddish brown buskins； whose ribbons traced an X on her fine； white； open…worked stockings； and that sort of muslin spencer； a Marseilles invention； whose name； canezou； a corruption of the words quinze aout； pronounced after the fashion of the Canebiere； signifies fine weather； heat； and midday。The three others； less timid； as we have already said； wore low…necked dresses without disguise； which in summer； beneath flower…adorned hats； are very graceful and enticing； but by the side of these audacious outfits； blond Fantine's canezou； with its transparencies； its indiscretion； and its reticence； concealing and displaying at one and the same time； seemed an alluring godsend of decency； and the famous Court of Love； presided over by the Vitesse de Cette； with the sea…green eyes； would； perhaps； have awarded the prize for coquetry to this canezou； in the contest for the prize of modesty。The most ingenious is； at times； the wisest。
This does happen。
Brilliant of face； delicate of profile； with eyes of a deep blue； heavy lids； feet arched and small； wrists and ankles admirably formed； a white skin which； here and there allowed the azure branching of the veins to be seen； joy； a cheek that was young and fresh； the robust throat of the Juno of AEgina； a strong and supple nape of the neck； shoulders modelled as though by Coustou； with a voluptuous dimple in the middle； visible through the muslin； a gayety cooled by dreaminess； sculptural and exquisitesuch was Fantine； and beneath these feminine adornments and these ribbons one could divine a statue； and in that statue a soul。
Fantine was beautiful； without being too conscious of it。Those rare dreamers； mysterious priests of the beautiful who silently confront everything with perfection； would have caught a glimpse in this little working…woman； through the transparency of her Parisian grace； of the ancient sacred euphony。
This daughter of the shadows was thoroughbred。
She was beautiful in the two ways style and rhythm。
Style is the form of the ideal； rhythm is its movement。
We have said that Fantine was joy； she was also modesty。
To an observer who studied her attentively； that which breathed from her athwart all the intoxication of her age； the season； and her love affair； was an invincible expression of reserve and modesty。She remained a little astonished。
This chaste astonishment is the shade of difference which separates Psyche from Venus。Fantine had the long； white； fine fingers of the vestal virgin who stirs the ashes of the sacred fire with a golden pin。
Although she would have refused nothing to Tholomyes； as we shall have more than ample opportunity to see； her face in repose was supremely virginal； a sort of serious and almost austere dignity suddenly overwhelmed her at certain times； and there was nothing more singular and disturbing than to see gayety bee so suddenly extinct there； and meditation succeed to cheerfulness without any transition state。This sudden and sometimes severely accentuated gravity resembled the disdain of a goddess。
Her brow； her nose； her chin； presented that equilibrium of outline which is quite distinct from equilibrium of proportion； and from which harmony of countenance results； in the very characteristic interval which separates the base of the nose from the upper lip； she had that imperceptible and charming fold； a mysterious sign of chastity； which makes Barberousse fall in love with a Diana found in the treasures of Iconia。
Love is a fault； so be it。
Fantine was innocence floating high over fault。
BOOK THIRD。IN THE YEAR 1817
CHAPTER IV
THOLOMYES IS SO MERRY THAT HE SINGS A SPANISH DITTY
That day was posed o