The sound of the watering…pot on the leaves filled Father Mabeuf's soul with ecstasy。 It seemed to him that the rhododendron was happy now。
The first bucketful emptied； the girl drew a second； then a third。 She watered the whole garden。
There was something about her； as she thus ran about among paths； where her outline appeared perfectly black； waving her angular arms； and with her fichu all in rags； that resembled a bat。
When she had finished； Father Mabeuf approached her with tears in his eyes； and laid his hand on her brow。
〃God will bless you；〃 said he； 〃you are an angel since you take care of the flowers。〃
〃No；〃 she replied。
〃I am the devil； but that's all the same to me。〃
The old man exclaimed； without either waiting for or hearing her response：
〃What a pity that I am so unhappy and so poor； and that I can
do nothing for you！〃
〃You can do something；〃 said she。
〃What？〃
〃Tell me where M。 Marius lives。〃
The old man did not understand。
〃What Monsieur Marius？〃
He raised his glassy eyes and seemed to be seeking something that had vanished。
〃A young man who used to e here。〃
In the meantime； M。 Mabeuf had searched his memory。
〃Ah！ yes〃 he exclaimed。
〃I know what you mean。
Wait！ Monsieur Mariusthe Baron Marius Pontmercy； parbleu！
He lives； or rather； he no longer lives；ah well； I don't know。〃
As he spoke； he had bent over to train a branch of rhododendron； and he continued：
〃Hold； I know now。
He very often passes along the boulevard； and goes in the direction of the Glaciere； Rue Croulebarbe。 The meadow of the Lark。
Go there。
It is not hard to meet him。〃
When M。 Mabeuf straightened himself up； there was no longer any one there； the girl had disappeared。
He was decidedly terrified。
〃Really；〃 he thought； 〃if my garden had not been watered； I should think that she was a spirit。〃
An hour later； when he was in bed； it came back to him； and as he fell asleep； at that confused moment when thought； like that fabulous bird which changes itself into a fish in order to cross the sea； little by little assumes the form of a dream in order to traverse slumber； he said to himself in a bewildered way：
〃In sooth； that greatly resembles what Rubaudiere narrates of the goblins。
Could it have been a goblin？〃
BOOK SECOND。EPONINE
CHAPTER IV
AN APPARITION TO MARIUS
Some days after this visit of a 〃spirit〃 to Farmer Mabeuf； one morning； it was on a Monday； the day when Marius borrowed the hundred…sou piece from Courfeyrac for ThenardierMarius had put this coin in his pocket； and before carrying it to the clerk's office； he had gone 〃to take a little stroll；〃 in the hope that this would make him work on his return。
It was always thus； however。
As soon as he rose； he seated himself before a book and a sheet of paper in order to scribble some translation； his task at that epoch consisted in turning into French a celebrated quarrel between Germans； the Gans and Savigny controversy； he took Savigny； he took Gans； read four lines； tried to write one； could not； saw a star between him and his paper； and rose from his chair； saying：
〃I shall go out。 That will put me in spirits。〃
And off he went to the Lark's meadow。
There he beheld more than ever the star； and less than ever Savigny and Gans。
He returned home； tried to take up his work again； and did not succeed； there was no means of re…knotting a single one of the threads which were broken in his brain； then he said to himself：
〃I will not go out to…morrow。 It prevents my working。〃
And he went out every day。
He lived in the Lark's meadow more than in Courfeyrac's lodgings。 That was his real address：
Boulevard de la Sante； at the seventh tree from the Rue Croulebarbe。
That morning he had quitted the seventh tree and had seated himself on the parapet of the River des Gobelins。
A cheerful sunlight penetrated the freshly unfolded and luminous leaves。
He was dreaming of 〃Her。〃
And his meditation turning to a reproach； fell back upon himself； he reflected dolefully on his idleness； his paralysis of soul； which was gaining on him； and of that night which was growing more dense every moment before him； to such a point that he no longer even saw the sun。
Nevertheless； athwart this painful extrication of indistinct ideas which was not even a monologue； so feeble had action bee in him； and he had no longer the force to care to despair； athwart this melancholy absorption； sensations from without did reach him。 He heard behind him； beneath him； on both banks of the river； the laundresses of the Gobelins beating their linen； and above his head； the birds chattering and singing in the elm…trees。 On the one hand； the sound of liberty； the careless happiness of the leisure which has wings； on the other； the sound of toil。 What caused him to meditate deeply； and almost reflect； were two cheerful sounds。
All at once； in the midst of his dejected ecstasy； he heard a familiar voice saying：
〃e！
Here he is！〃
He raised his eyes； and recognized that wretched child who had e to him one morning； the elder of the Thenardier daughters； Eponine； he knew her name now。
Strange to say； she had grown poorer and prettier； two steps which it had not seemed within her power to take。 She had acplished a double progress； towards the light and towards distress。
She was barefooted and in rags； as on the day when she had so resolutely entered his chamber； only her rags were two months older now； the holes were larger； the tatters more sordid。 It was the same harsh voice； the same brow dimmed and wrinkled with tan； the same free； wild； and vacillating glance。
She had besides； more than formerly； in her face that indescribably terrified and lamentable something which sojourn in a prison adds to wretchedness。
She had bits of straw and hay in her hair； not like Ophelia through having gone mad from the contagion of Hamlet's madness； but because she had slept in the loft of some stable。
And in spite of it all； she was beautiful。
What a star art thou； O youth！
In the meantime； she had halted in front of Marius with a trace of joy in her livid countenance； and something which resembled a smile。
She stood for several moments as though incapable of speech。
〃So I have met you at last！〃 she said at length。
〃Father Mabeuf was right； it was on this boulevard！
How I have hunted for you！ If you only knew！
Do you know？
I have been in the jug。
A fortnight！ They let me out！ seeing that there was nothing against me； and that； moreover； I had not reached years of discretion。
I lack two months of it。
Oh！ how I have hunted for you！
These six weeks！ So you don't live down there any more？〃
〃No；〃 said Marius。
〃Ah！
I understand。
Because of that affair。
Those take…downs are disagreeable。
You cleared out。
e now！
Why do you wear old hats like this！
A young man like you ought to have fine clothes。 Do you know； Monsieur Marius； Father Mabeuf calls you Baron Marius； I don't know what。