按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Now； one cannot read nonsense with impunity。 The result was that her eldest daughter was named Eponine； as for the younger； the poor little thing came near being called Gulnare； I know not to what diversion； effected by a romance of Ducray…Dumenil； she owed the fact that she merely bore the name of Azelma。
However； we will remark by the way； everything was not ridiculous and superficial in that curious epoch to which we are alluding； and which may be designated as the anarchy of baptismal names。 By the side of this romantic element which we have just indicated there is the social symptom。
It is not rare for the neatherd's boy nowadays to bear the name of Arthur； Alfred； or Alphonse； and for the viteif there are still any vitesto be called Thomas； Pierre； or Jacques。
This displacement； which places the 〃elegant〃 name on the plebeian and the rustic name on the aristocrat； is nothing else than an eddy of equality。
The irresistible penetration of the new inspiration is there as everywhere else。 Beneath this apparent discord there is a great and a profound thing； the French Revolution。
BOOK FOURTH。TO CONFIDE IS SOMETIMES TO DELIVER INTO A PERSON'S POWER
CHAPTER III
It is not all in all sufficient to be wicked in order to prosper。 The cook…shop was in a bad way。
Thanks to the traveller's fifty…seven francs； Thenardier had been able to avoid a protest and to honor his signature。
On the following month they were again in need of money。
The woman took Cosette's outfit to Paris； and pawned it at the pawnbroker's for sixty francs。 As soon as that sum was spent； the Thenardiers grew accustomed to look on the little girl merely as a child whom they were caring for out of charity； and they treated her accordingly。
As she had no longer any clothes； they dressed her in the cast…off petticoats and chemises of the Thenardier brats； that is to say； in rags。 They fed her on what all the rest had lefta little better than the dog； a little worse than the cat。
Moreover； the cat and the dog were her habitual table…panions； Cosette ate with them under the table； from a wooden bowl similar to theirs。
The mother； who had established herself； as we shall see later on； at M。 sur M。； wrote； or； more correctly； caused to be written； a letter every month； that she might have news of her child。 The Thenardiers replied invariably； 〃Cosette is doing wonderfully well。〃
At the expiration of the first six months the mother sent seven francs for the seventh month； and continued her remittances with tolerable regularity from month to month。
The year was not pleted when Thenardier said：
〃A fine favor she is doing us； in sooth！
What does she expect us to do with her seven francs？〃 and he wrote to demand twelve francs。
The mother； whom they had persuaded into the belief that her child was happy； 〃and was ing on well；〃 submitted； and forwarded the twelve francs。
Certain natures cannot love on the one hand without hating on the other。
Mother Thenardier loved her two daughters passionately； which caused her to hate the stranger。
It is sad to think that the love of a mother can possess villainous aspects。
Little as was the space occupied by Cosette； it seemed to her as though it were taken from her own； and that that little child diminished the air which her daughters breathed。 This woman； like many women of her sort； had a load of caresses and a burden of blows and injuries to dispense each day。 If she had not had Cosette； it is certain that her daughters； idolized as they were； would have received the whole of it； but the stranger did them the service to divert the blows to herself。 Her daughters received nothing but caresses。
Cosette could not make a motion which did not draw down upon her head a heavy shower of violent blows and unmerited chastisement。
The sweet； feeble being； who should not have understood anything of this world or of God； incessantly punished； scolded； ill…used； beaten； and seeing beside her two little creatures like herself； who lived in a ray of dawn！
Madame Thenardier was vicious with Cosette。
Eponine and Azelma were vicious。
Children at that age are only copies of their mother。 The size is smaller； that is all。
A year passed； then another。
People in the village said：
〃Those Thenardiers are good people。
They are not rich； and yet they are bringing up a poor child who was abandoned on their hands！〃
They thought that Cosette's mother had forgotten her。
In the meanwhile； Thenardier； having learned； it is impossible to say by what obscure means； that the child was probably a bastard； and that the mother could not acknowledge it； exacted fifteen francs a month； saying that 〃the creature〃 was growing and 〃eating；〃 and threatening to send her away。
〃Let her not bother me；〃 he exclaimed； 〃or I'll fire her brat right into the middle of her secrets。 I must have an increase。〃
The mother paid the fifteen francs。
From year to year the child grew； and so did her wretchedness。
As long as Cosette was little； she was the scape…goat of the two other children； as soon as she began to develop a little； that is to say； before she was even five years old； she became the servant of the household。
Five years old！ the reader will say； that is not probable。 Alas！ it is true。
Social suffering begins at all ages。 Have we not recently seen the trial of a man named Dumollard； an orphan turned bandit； who； from the age of five； as the official documents state； being alone in the world； 〃worked for his living and stole〃？
Cosette was made to run on errands； to sweep the rooms； the courtyard； the street； to wash the dishes； to even carry burdens。
The Thenardiers considered themselves all the more authorized to behave in this manner； since the mother； who was still at M。 sur M。； had bee irregular in her payments。
Some months she was in arrears。
If this mother had returned to Montfermeil at the end of these three years； she would not have recognized her child。
Cosette； so pretty and rosy on her arrival in that house； was now thin and pale。 She had an indescribably uneasy look。
〃The sly creature；〃 said the Thenardiers。
Injustice had made her peevish； and misery had made her ugly。 Nothing remained to her except her beautiful eyes； which inspired pain； because； large as they were； it seemed as though one beheld in them a still larger amount of sadness。
It was a heart…breaking thing to see this poor child； not yet six years old； shivering in the winter in her old rags of linen； full of holes； sweeping the street before daylight； with an enormous broom in her tiny red hands； and a tear in her great eyes。
She was called the Lark in the neighborhood。
The populace； who are fond of these figures of speech； had taken a fancy to bestow this name on this trembling； frightened； and shivering little creature； no bigger than a bird； who was awake every morning before any one else in the house or the village； and was always in the street or the fields before daybreak。
Only the little lark never sang。
BOOK FIFTH。THE DESCENT
CHAPTER I
THE HISTORY OF A PROGRESS IN BLACK GLASS TRINKETS
And in the meantime； what had bee of that mother who according to the people at Montfermeil； seemed to have abandoned her child？ Where was she？
What was she doing？
After leaving her little Cosette with the Thenardiers； she had continued her journey； and had reached M。 sur M。
This； it will be remembered； was in 1818。
Fantine had quitted her province ten years before。
M。 sur M。 had changed its aspect。
While Fantine had been slowly descending from wretchedness to wretchedness； her native town had prospered。
About two years previously one of those industrial facts which are the grand events of small districts had taken place。
This detail is important； and we regard it as useful to develop it at length； we should almost say； to underline it。
From time immemorial； M。 sur M。 had had for its special industry the imitation of English jet and the black glass trinkets of Germany。 This industry had always vegetated； on account of the high price of the raw material； which reacted on the manufacture。 At the moment when Fantine returned to M。 sur M。； an unheard…of transformation had taken place in the production of 〃black goods。〃 Towards the close of 1815 a man； a stranger； had established himself in the town； and had been inspired with the idea of substituting； in this manufacture； gum…lac for resin； and； for bracelets in particular； slides of sheet…iron simply laid together； for slides of soldered sheet…iron。
This very small change had effected a revolution。
This very small change had； in fact； prodigiously reduced the cost of the raw material； which had rendered it possible in the first place； to raise the price of manufacture； a benefit to the country； in the second place； to improve the workmanship； an advantage to the consumer； in the third place； to sell at a lower price； while trebling the profit； which was a benefit to the manufacturer。
Thus three results ensued from one idea。
In less than three years the inventor of this process had bee rich； which is good； and had made every one about him rich； which is better。
He was a stranger in the Department。
Of his origin； nothing was known； of the beginning of his career； very little。 It was rumored that he had e to town with very little money； a few hundred francs at the most。
It was from this slender capital； enlisted in the service of an ingenious idea； developed by method and thought； that he had drawn his own fortune； and the fortune of the whole countryside。
On his arrival at M。 sur M。 he had only the garments； the appearance； and the language of a workingman。
It appears that on the very day when he made his obscure entry into the little town of M。 sur M。； just at nightfall； on a December evening； knapsack on back and thorn club in hand； a large fire had broken out in the town…hall。 This man had rushed into the flames and saved； at the risk of his own life； two children who belonged to the captain of the gendarmerie； this is why they had forgotten to ask him for his passport。
Afterwards they had learned his name。 He was called Father Madeleine。
BOOK FIFTH。THE DESCENT
CHAPTER II
MADELEINE
He was a man about fifty years of age； who had a preoccupied air； and who was good。
That was all that could be said about him。
Thanks to the rapid progress of the industry which he had so admirably re…constructed； M。 sur M。 had bee a rather important centre of trade。
Spain； which consumes a good deal of black jet； made enormous purchases there each year。
M。 sur M。 almost rivalled London and Berlin in this branch of merce。
Father Madeleine's profits were such； that at the end of the second year he was able to erect a large factory； in which there were two vast workrooms； one for the men； and the other for women。
Any one who was hungry could present himself there； and was sure of finding employment and bread。
Father Madeleine required of the men good will； of the women pure morals； and of all； probity。
He had separated the work…rooms in order to separate the sexes； and so that the women and girls might remain discreet。
On this point he was inflexible。 It was the only thing in which he was in a manner intolerant。 He was all the more firmly set on this severity； since M。 sur M。； being a garrison town； opportunities for corruption abounded。 However； his ing had been a boon； and his presence was a godsend。 Before Father Madeleine's arrival； everything had languished in the country； now everything lived with a healthy life of toil。 A strong circulation warmed everything and penetrated everywhere。 Slack seasons and wretchedness were unknown。
There was no pocket so obscure that it had not a little money in it； no dwelling so lowly that there was not some little joy within it。
Father Madeleine gave employment to every one。
He exacted but one thing：
Be an honest man。
Be an honest woman。
As we have said； in the midst of this activity of which he was the cause and the pivot； Father Madeleine made his fortune； but a singular thing in a simple man of business； it did not seem as though that were his chief care。
He appeared to be thinking much of others； and little of himself。
In 1820 he was known to have a sum of six hundred and thirty thousand francs lodged in his name with Laffitte； but before reserving these six hundred and thirty thousand francs； he had spent more than a million for the town and its poor。
The hospital was badly endowed； he founded six beds there。
M。 sur M。 is divided into the upper and the lower town。
The lower town； in which he lived； had but one school； a miserable hovel； which was falling to ruin：
he constructed two； one for girls； the other for boys。 He allotted a salary from his own funds to the two instructors； a salary twice as large as their meagre official salary； and one day he said to some one who expressed surprise； 〃The two prime functionaries of the state are the nurse and the schoolmaster。〃 He created at his own expense an i