disinherit him。
The father had yielded in the little one's interest； and had transferred his love to flowers。
Moreover； he had renounced everything； and neither stirred up mischief nor conspired。
He shared his thoughts between the innocent things which he was then doing and the great things which he had done。 He passed his time in expecting a pink or in recalling Austerlitz。
M。 Gillenormand kept up no relations with his son…in…law。 The colonel was 〃a bandit〃 to him。
M。 Gillenormand never mentioned the colonel； except when he occasionally made mocking allusions to 〃his Baronship。〃
It had been expressly agreed that Pontmercy should never attempt to see his son nor to speak to him； under penalty of having the latter handed over to him disowned and disinherited。 For the Gillenormands； Pontmercy was a man afflicted with the plague。 They intended to bring up the child in their own way。
Perhaps the colonel was wrong to accept these conditions； but he submitted to them； thinking that he was doing right and sacrificing no one but himself。
The inheritance of Father Gillenormand did not amount to much； but the inheritance of Mademoiselle Gillenormand the elder was considerable。 This aunt； who had remained unmarried； was very rich on the maternal side； and her sister's son was her natural heir。
The boy； whose name was Marius； knew that he had a father； but nothing more。 No one opened his mouth to him about it。
Nevertheless； in the society into which his grandfather took him； whispers； innuendoes； and winks； had eventually enlightened the little boy's mind； he had finally understood something of the case； and as he naturally took in the ideas and opinions which were； so to speak； the air he breathed； by a sort of infiltration and slow penetration； he gradually came to think of his father only with shame and with a pain at his heart。
While he was growing up in this fashion； the colonel slipped away every two or three months； came to Paris on the sly； like a criminal breaking his ban； and went and posted himself at Saint…Sulpice； at the hour when Aunt Gillenormand led Marius to the mass。 There； trembling lest the aunt should turn round； concealed behind a pillar； motionless； not daring to breathe； he gazed at his child。 The scarred veteran was afraid of that old spinster。
From this had arisen his connection with the cure of Vernon； M。 l'Abbe Mabeuf。
That worthy priest was the brother of a warden of Saint…Sulpice； who had often observed this man gazing at his child； and the scar on his cheek； and the large tears in his eyes。
That man； who had so manly an air； yet who was weeping like a woman； had struck the warden。 That face had clung to his mind。
One day； having gone to Vernon to see his brother； he had encountered Colonel Pontmercy on the bridge； and had recognized the man of Saint…Sulpice。 The warden had mentioned the circumstance to the cure； and both had paid the colonel a visit； on some pretext or other。
This visit led to others。
The colonel； who had been extremely reserved at first； ended by opening his heart； and the cure and the warden finally came to know the whole history； and how Pontmercy was sacrificing his happiness to his child's future。 This caused the cure to regard him with veneration and tenderness； and the colonel； on his side； became fond of the cure。
And moreover； when both are sincere and good； no men so penetrate each other； and so amalgamate with each other； as an old priest and an old soldier。 At bottom； the man is the same。
The one has devoted his life to his country here below； the other to his country on high； that is the only difference。
Twice a year； on the first of January and on St。 George's day； Marius wrote duty letters to his father； which were dictated by his aunt； and which one would have pronounced to be copied from some formula； this was all that M。 Gillenormand tolerated； and the father answered them with very tender letters which the grandfather thrust into his pocket unread。
BOOK THIRD。THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
CHAPTER III
REQUIESCANT
Madame de T。's salon was all that Marius Pontmercy knew of the world。 It was the only opening through which he could get a glimpse of life。
This opening was sombre； and more cold than warmth； more night than day； came to him through this skylight。
This child； who had been all joy and light on entering this strange world； soon became melancholy； and； what is still more contrary to his age； grave。
Surrounded by all those singular and imposing personages； he gazed about him with serious amazement。
Everything conspired to increase this astonishment in him。
There were in Madame de T。's salon some very noble ladies named Mathan； Noe； Levis；which was pronounced Levi；Cambis； pronounced Cambyse。
These antique visages and these Biblical names mingled in the child's mind with the Old Testament which he was learning by heart； and when they were all there； seated in a circle around a dying fire； sparely lighted by a lamp shaded with green； with their severe profiles； their gray or white hair； their long gowns of another age； whose lugubrious colors could not be distinguished； dropping； at rare intervals； words which were both majestic and severe； little Marius stared at them with frightened eyes； in the conviction that he beheld not women； but patriarchs and magi； not real beings； but phantoms。
With these phantoms； priests were sometimes mingled； frequenters of this ancient salon； and some gentlemen； the Marquis de Sass****； private secretary to Madame de Berry； the Vite de Val***； who published； under the pseudonyme of Charles…Antoine； monorhymed odes； the Prince de Beauff*******； who； though very young； had a gray head and a pretty and witty wife； whose very low…necked toilettes of scarlet velvet with gold torsades alarmed these shadows； the Marquis de C*****d'E******； the man in all France who best understood 〃proportioned politeness；〃 the te d'Am*****； the kindly man with the amiable chin； and the Chevalier de Port…de…Guy； a pillar of the library of the Louvre； called the King's cabinet； M。 de Port…de…Guy； bald； and rather aged than old； was wont to relate that in 1793； at the age of sixteen； he had been put in the galleys as refractory and chained with an octogenarian； the Bishop of Mirepoix； also refractory； but as a priest； while he was so in the capacity of a soldier。
This was at Toulon。 Their business was to go at night and gather up on the scaffold the heads and bodies of the persons who had been guillotined during the day； they bore away on their backs these dripping corpses； and their red galley…slave blouses had a clot of blood at the back of the neck； which was dry in the morning and wet at night。 These tragic tales abounded in Madame de T。's salon； and by dint of cursing Marat； they applauded Trestaillon。
Some deputies of the undiscoverable variety played their whist there； M。 Thibord du Chalard； M。 Lemarchant de Gomicourt； and the celebrated scoffer of the right； M。 Cornet…Dincourt。 The bailiff de Ferrette； with his short breeches and his thin legs； sometimes traversed this salon on his way to M。 de Tal