〃Precisely； Pontmercy。
Did you know him？〃
〃Sir；〃 said Marius； 〃he was my father。〃
The old warden clasped his hands and exclaimed：
〃Ah！ you are the child！
Yes； that's true； he must be a man by this time。
Well！ poor child； you may say that you had a father who loved you dearly！〃
Marius offered his arm to the old man and conducted him to his lodgings。
On the following day； he said to M。 Gillenormand：
〃I have arranged a hunting…party with some friends。
Will you permit me to be absent for three days？〃
〃Four！〃 replied his grandfather。
〃Go and amuse yourself。〃
And he said to his daughter in a low tone； and with a wink； 〃Some love affair！〃
BOOK THIRD。THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
CHAPTER VI
THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING MET A WARDEN
Where it was that Marius went will be disclosed a little further on。
Marius was absent for three days； then he returned to Paris； went straight to the library of the law…school and asked for the files of the Moniteur。
He read the Moniteur； he read all the histories of the Republic and the Empire； the Memorial de Sainte…Helene； all the memoirs； all the newspapers； the bulletins； the proclamations； he devoured everything。
The first time that he came across his father's name in the bulletins of the grand army； he had a fever for a week。 He went to see the generals under whom Georges Pontmercy had served； among others； te H。 Church…warden Mabeuf； whom he went to see again； told him about the life at Vernon； the colonel's retreat； his flowers； his solitude。
Marius came to a full knowledge of that rare； sweet； and sublime man； that species of lion…lamb who had been his father。
In the meanwhile； occupied as he was with this study which absorbed all his moments as well as his thoughts； he hardly saw the Gillenormands at all。
He made his appearance at meals； then they searched for him； and he was not to be found。
Father Gillenormand smiled。
〃Bah！ bah！ He is just of the age for the girls！〃
Sometimes the old man added： 〃The deuce！
I thought it was only an affair of gallantry； It seems that it is an affair of passion！〃
It was a passion； in fact。
Marius was on the high road to adoring his father。
At the same time； his ideas underwent an extraordinary change。 The phases of this change were numerous and successive。
As this is the history of many minds of our day； we think it will prove useful to follow these phases step by step and to indicate them all。
That history upon which he had just cast his eyes appalled him。
The first effect was to dazzle him。
Up to that time； the Republic； the Empire； had been to him only monstrous words。
The Republic； a guillotine in the twilight； the Empire； a sword in the night。
He had just taken a look at it； and where he had expected to find only a chaos of shadows； he had beheld； with a sort of unprecedented surprise； mingled with fear and joy； stars sparkling； Mirabeau； Vergniaud； Saint…Just； Robespierre； Camille； Desmoulins； Danton； and a sun arise； Napoleon。
He did not know where he stood。
He recoiled； blinded by the brilliant lights。 Little by little； when his astonishment had passed off； he grew accustomed to this radiance； he contemplated these deeds without dizziness； he examined these personages without terror； the Revolution and the Empire presented themselves luminously； in perspective； before his mind's eye； he beheld each of these groups of events and of men summed up in two tremendous facts： the Republic in the sovereignty of civil right restored to the masses； the Empire in the sovereignty of the French idea imposed on Europe； he beheld the grand figure of the people emerge from the Revolution； and the grand figure of France spring forth from the Empire。 He asserted in his conscience； that all this had been good。 What his dazzled state neglected in this； his first far too synthetic estimation； we do not think it necessary to point out here。 It is the state of a mind on the march that we are recording。 Progress is not acplished in one stage。
That stated； once for all； in connection with what precedes as well as with what is to follow； we continue。
He then perceived that； up to that moment； he had prehended his country no more than he had prehended his father。
He had not known either the one or the other； and a sort of voluntary night had obscured his eyes。
Now he saw； and on the one hand he admired； while on the other he adored。
He was filled with regret and remorse； and he reflected in despair that all he had in his soul could now be said only to the tomb。 Oh！ if his father had still been in existence； if he had still had him； if God； in his passion and his goodness； had permitted his father to be still among the living； how he would have run； how he would have precipitated himself； how he would have cried to his father：
〃Father！
Here I am！
It is I！
I have the same heart as thou！
I am thy son！〃
How he would have embraced that white head； bathed his hair in tears； gazed upon his scar； pressed his hands； adored his garment； kissed his feet！
Oh！
Why had his father died so early； before his time； before the justice； the love of his son had e to him？
Marius had a continual sob in his heart； which said to him every moment：
〃Alas！〃
At the same time； he became more truly serious； more truly grave； more sure of his thought and his faith。
At each instant； gleams of the true came to plete his reason。
An inward growth seemed to be in progress within him。
He was conscious of a sort of natural enlargement； which gave him two things that were new to himhis father and his country。
As everything opens when one has a key； so he explained to himself that which he had hated； he penetrated that which he had abhorred； henceforth he plainly perceived the providential； divine and human sense of the great things which he had been taught to detest； and of the great men whom he had been instructed to curse。
When he reflected on his former opinions； which were but those of yesterday； and which； nevertheless； seemed to him already so very ancient； he grew indignant； yet he smiled。
From the rehabilitation of his father； he naturally passed to the rehabilitation of Napoleon。
But the latter； we will confess； was not effected without labor。
From his infancy； he had been imbued with the judgments of the party of 1814； on Bonaparte。
Now； all the prejudices of the Restoration； all its interests； all its instincts tended to disfigure Napoleon。 It execrated him even more than it did Robespierre。
It had very cleverly turned to sufficiently good account the fatigue of the nation； and the hatred of mothers。
Bonaparte had bee an almost fabulous monster； and in order to paint him to the imagination of the people； which； as we lately pointed out； resembles the imagination of children； the party of 1814 made him appear under all sorts of terrifying masks in succession； from that which is terrible though it remains grandiose to that which is terrible and bees grotesque； from Tiberius to the bugaboo。
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