At midday； a thousand white butterflies took refuge there； and it was a divine spectacle to see that living summer snow whirling about there in flakes amid the shade。
There； in those gay shadows of verdure； a throng of innocent voices spoke sweetly to the soul； and what the twittering forgot to say the humming pleted。
In the evening； a dreamy vapor exhaled from the garden and enveloped it； a shroud of mist； a calm and celestial sadness covered it； the intoxicating perfume of the honeysuckles and convolvulus poured out from every part of it； like an exquisite and subtle poison； the last appeals of the woodpeckers and the wagtails were audible as they dozed among the branches； one felt the sacred intimacy of the birds and the trees； by day the wings rejoice the leaves； by night the leaves protect the wings。
＇34＇ From April 19 to May 20。
In winter the thicket was black； dripping； bristling； shivering； and allowed some glimpse of the house。
Instead of flowers on the branches
and dew in the flowers； the long silvery tracks of the snails were visible on the cold； thick carpet of yellow leaves； but in any fashion； under any aspect； at all seasons； spring； winter； summer； autumn； this tiny enclosure breathed forth melancholy； contemplation； solitude； liberty； the absence of man； the presence of God； and the rusty old gate had the air of saying：
〃This garden belongs to me。〃
It was of no avail that the pavements of Paris were there on every side； the classic and splendid hotels of the Rue de Varennes a couple of paces away； the dome of the Invalides close at hand； the Chamber of Deputies not far off； the carriages of the Rue de Bourgogne and of the Rue Saint…Dominique rumbled luxuriously； in vain； in the vicinity； in vain did the yellow； brown； white； and red omnibuses cross each other's course at the neighboring cross…roads； the Rue Plumet was the desert； and the death of the former proprietors； the revolution which had passed over it； the crumbling away of ancient fortunes； absence； forgetfulness； forty years of abandonment and widowhood； had sufficed to restore to this privileged spot ferns； mulleins； hemlock； yarrow； tall weeds； great crimped plants； with large leaves of pale green cloth； lizards； beetles； uneasy and rapid insects； to cause to spring forth from the depths of the earth and to reappear between those four walls a certain indescribable and savage grandeur； and for nature； which disconcerts the petty arrangements of man； and which sheds herself always thoroughly where she diffuses herself at all； in the ant as well as in the eagle； to blossom out in a petty little Parisian garden with as much rude force and majesty as in a virgin forest of the New World。
Nothing is small； in fact； any one who is subject to the profound and penetrating influence of nature knows this。
Although no absolute satisfaction is given to philosophy； either to circumscribe the cause or to limit the effect； the contemplator falls into those unfathomable ecstasies caused by these depositions of force terminating in unity。
Everything toils at everything。
Algebra is applied to the clouds； the radiation of the star profits the rose； no thinker would venture to affirm that the perfume of the hawthorn is useless to the constellations。
Who； then； can calculate the course of a molecule？
How do we know that the creation of worlds is not determined by the fall of grains of sand？
Who knows the reciprocal ebb and flow of the infinitely great and the infinitely little； the reverberations of causes in the precipices of being； and the avalanches of creation？
The tiniest worm is of importance； the great is little； the little is great； everything is balanced in necessity； alarming vision for the mind。
There are marvellous relations between beings and things； in that inexhaustible whole； from the sun to the grub； nothing despises the other； all have need of each other。
The light does not bear away terrestrial perfumes into the azure depths； without knowing what it is doing； the night distributes stellar essences to the sleeping flowers。 All birds that fly have round their leg the thread of the infinite。 Germination is plicated with the bursting forth of a meteor and with the peck of a swallow cracking its egg； and it places on one level the birth of an earthworm and the advent of Socrates。 Where the telescope ends； the microscope begins。
Which of the two possesses the larger field of vision？
Choose。
A bit of mould is a pleiad of flowers； a nebula is an ant…hill of stars。 The same promiscuousness； and yet more unprecedented； exists between the things of the intelligence and the facts of substance。 Elements and principles mingle； bine； wed； multiply with each other； to such a point that the material and the moral world are brought eventually to the same clearness。
The phenomenon is perpetually returning upon itself。
In the vast cosmic exchanges the universal life goes and es in unknown quantities； rolling entirely in the invisible mystery of effluvia； employing everything； not losing a single dream； not a single slumber； sowing an animalcule here； crumbling to bits a planet there； oscillating and winding； making of light a force and of thought an element； disseminated and invisible； dissolving all； except that geometrical point； the I； bringing everything back to the soul…atom； expanding everything in God； entangling all activity； from summit to base； in the obscurity of a dizzy mechanism； attaching the flight of an insect to the movement of the earth； subordinating； who knows？
Were it only by the identity of the law； the evolution of the et in the firmament to the whirling of the infusoria in the drop of water。
A machine made of mind。 Enormous gearing； the prime motor of which is the gnat； and whose final wheel is the zodiac。
BOOK THIRD。THE HOUSE IN THE RUE PLUMET
CHAPTER IV
CHANGE OF GATE
It seemed that this garden； created in olden days to conceal wanton mysteries； had been transformed and bee fitted to shelter chaste mysteries。
There were no longer either arbors； or bowling greens； or tunnels； or grottos； there was a magnificent； dishevelled obscurity falling like a veil over all。
Paphos had been made over into Eden。 It is impossible to say what element of repentance had rendered this retreat wholesome。
This flower…girl now offered her blossom to the soul。
This coquettish garden； formerly decidedly promised； had returned to virginity and modesty。
A justice assisted by a gardener； a goodman who thought that he was a continuation of Lamoignon； and another goodman who thought that he was a continuation of Lenotre； had turned it about； cut； ruffled； decked； moulded it to gallantry； nature had taken possession of it once more； had filled it with shade； and had arranged it for love。
There was； also； in this solitude； a heart which was quite ready。 Love had only to show himself； he had here a temple posed of verdure； grass； moss； the sight of birds； tender shadows； agitated branches； and a soul made of sweetness； of faith； of candor； of hope； of aspiration； and of illusion。
Cosette had left the con