making the circuit of this couple； and considering it under all its aspects。
Thenardier had just passed his fiftieth birthday； Madame Thenardier was approaching her forties； which is equivalent to fifty in a woman； so that there existed a balance of age between husband and wife。
Our readers have possibly preserved some recollection of this Thenardier woman； ever since her first appearance；tall； blond； red； fat； angular； square； enormous； and agile； she belonged； as we have said； to the race of those colossal wild women； who contort themselves at fairs with paving…stones hanging from their hair。 She did everything about the house；made the beds； did the washing； the cooking； and everything else。
Cosette was her only servant； a mouse in the service of an elephant。
Everything trembled at the sound of her voice；window panes； furniture； and people。 Her big face； dotted with red blotches； presented the appearance of a skimmer。
She had a beard。
She was an ideal market…porter dressed in woman's clothes。
She swore splendidly； she boasted of being able to crack a nut with one blow of her fist。
Except for the romances which she had read； and which made the affected lady peep through the ogress at times； in a very queer way； the idea would never have occurred to any one to say of her； 〃That is a woman。〃 This Thenardier female was like the product of a wench engrafted on a fishwife。
When one heard her speak； one said； 〃That is a gendarme〃； when one saw her drink； one said； 〃That is a carter〃； when one saw her handle Cosette； one said； 〃That is the hangman。〃 One of her teeth projected when her face was in repose。
Thenardier was a small； thin； pale； angular； bony； feeble man； who had a sickly air and who was wonderfully healthy。
His cunning began here； he smiled habitually； by way of precaution； and was almost polite to everybody； even to the beggar to whom he refused half a farthing。 He had the glance of a pole…cat and the bearing of a man of letters。 He greatly resembled the portraits of the Abbe Delille。 His coquetry consisted in drinking with the carters。
No one had ever succeeded in rendering him drunk。
He smoked a big pipe。 He wore a blouse； and under his blouse an old black coat。
He made pretensions to literature and to materialism。
There were certain names which he often pronounced to support whatever things he might be saying；Voltaire； Raynal； Parny； and； singularly enough； Saint Augustine。
He declared that he had 〃a system。〃
In addition； he was a great swindler。
A filousophe ＇philosophe＇； a scientific thief。 The species does exist。
It will be remembered that he pretended to have served in the army； he was in the habit of relating with exuberance； how； being a sergeant in the 6th or the 9th light something or other； at Waterloo； he had alone； and in the presence of a squadron of death…dealing hussars； covered with his body and saved from death； in the midst of the grape…shot； 〃a general； who had been dangerously wounded。〃
Thence arose for his wall the flaring sign； and for his inn the name which it bore in the neighborhood； of 〃the cabaret of the Sergeant of Waterloo。〃
He was a liberal； a classic； and a Bonapartist。
He had subscribed for the Champ d'Asile。 It was said in the village that he had studied for the priesthood。
We believe that he had simply studied in Holland for an inn…keeper。 This rascal of posite order was； in all probability； some Fleming from Lille； in Flanders； a Frenchman in Paris； a Belgian at Brussels； being fortably astride of both frontiers。 As for his prowess at Waterloo； the reader is already acquainted with that。
It will be perceived that he exaggerated it a trifle。 Ebb and flow； wandering； adventure； was the leven of his existence； a tattered conscience entails a fragmentary life； and； apparently at the stormy epoch of June 18； 1815； Thenardier belonged to that variety of marauding sutlers of which we have spoken； beating about the country； selling to some； stealing from others； and travelling like a family man； with wife and children； in a rickety cart； in the rear of troops on the march； with an instinct for always attaching himself to the victorious army。
This campaign ended； and having； as he said； 〃some quibus；〃 he had e to Montfermeil and set up an inn there。
This quibus； posed of purses and watches； of gold rings and silver crosses； gathered in harvest…time in furrows sown with corpses； did not amount to a large total； and did not carry this sutler turned eating…house…keeper very far。
Thenardier had that peculiar rectilinear something about his gestures which； acpanied by an oath； recalls the barracks； and by a sign of the cross； the seminary。
He was a fine talker。 He allowed it to be thought that he was an educated man。
Nevertheless； the schoolmaster had noticed that he pronounced improperly。＇12＇
＇12＇ Literally 〃made cuirs〃； i。
e。； pronounced a t or an s at the end of words where the opposite letter should occur； or used either one of them where neither exists。
He posed the travellers' tariff card in a superior manner； but practised eyes sometimes spied out orthographical errors in it。 Thenardier was cunning； greedy； slothful； and clever。
He did not disdain his servants； which caused his wife to dispense with them。 This giantess was jealous。
It seemed to her that that thin and yellow little man must be an object coveted by all。
Thenardier； who was； above all； an astute and well…balanced man； was a scamp of a temperate sort。
This is the worst species； hypocrisy enters into it。
It is not that Thenardier was not； on occasion； capable of wrath to quite the same degree as his wife； but this was very rare； and at such times； since he was enraged with the human race in general； as he bore within him a deep furnace of hatred。
And since he was one of those people who are continually avenging their wrongs； who accuse everything that passes before them of everything which has befallen them； and who are always ready to cast upon the first person who es to hand； as a legitimate grievance； the sum total of the deceptions； the bankruptcies； and the calamities of their lives；when all this leaven was stirred up in him and boiled forth from his mouth and eyes； he was terrible。 Woe to the person who came under his wrath at such a time！
In addition to his other qualities； Thenardier was attentive and penetrating； silent or talkative； according to circumstances； and always highly intelligent。
He had something of the look of sailors； who are accustomed to screw up their eyes to gaze through marine glasses。
Thenardier was a statesman。
Every new…er who entered the tavern said； on catching sight of Madame Thenardier； 〃There is the master of the house。〃 A mistake。
She was not even the mistress。
The husband was both master and mistress。
She worked； he created。
He directed everything by a sort of invisible and constant magnetic action。 A word was sufficient for him； sometimes a sign； the mastodon obeyed。 Thenardier was a sort of special and sovereign being in Madame Thenardier's eyes； though she did not