MM。
Canuel； O'Mahoney； and De Chappedelaine were preparing the sketch； to some extent with Monsieur's approval； of what was to bee later on 〃The Conspiracy of the Bord de l'Eau〃of the waterside。L'Epingle Noire was already plotting in his own quarter。Delaverderie was conferring with Trogoff。
M。 Decazes； who was liberal to a degree； reigned。
Chateaubriand stood every morning at his window at No。 27 Rue Saint…Dominique； clad in footed trousers； and slippers； with a madras kerchief knotted over his gray hair； with his eyes fixed on a mirror； a plete set of dentist's instruments spread out before him； cleaning his teeth； which were charming； while he dictated The Monarchy according to the Charter to M。 Pilorge； his secretary。
Criticism； assuming an authoritative tone； preferred Lafon to Talma。
M。 de Feletez signed himself A。； M。 Hoffmann signed himself Z。 Charles Nodier wrote Therese Aubert。Divorce was abolished。
Lyceums called themselves colleges。The collegians； decorated on the collar with a golden fleur…de…lys； fought each other apropos of the King of Rome。
The counter…police of the chateau had denounced to her Royal Highness Madame； the portrait； everywhere exhibited； of M。 the Duc d'Orleans； who made a better appearance in his uniform of a colonel…general of hussars than M。 the Duc de Berri； in his uniform of colonel…general of dragoons a serious inconvenience。
The city of Paris was having the dome of the Invalides regilded at its own expense。
Serious men asked themselves what M。 de Trinquelague would do on such or such an occasion； M。 Clausel de Montals differed on divers points from M。 Clausel de Coussergues； M。 de Salaberry was not satisfied。
The edian Picard； who belonged to the Academy； which the edian Moliere had not been able to do； had The Two Philiberts played at the Odeon； upon whose pediment the removal of the letters still allowed THEATRE OF THE EMPRESS to be plainly read。
People took part for or against Cugnet de Montarlot。
Fabvier was factious； Bavoux was revolutionary。The Liberal； Pelicier； published an edition of Voltaire； with the following title：
Works of Voltaire； of the French Academy。〃That will attract purchasers；〃 said the ingenious editor。
The general opinion was that M。 Charles Loyson would be the genius of the century； envy was beginning to gnaw at hima sign of glory； and this verse was posed on him：
〃Even when Loyson steals； one feels that he has paws。〃
As Cardinal Fesch refused to resign； M。 de Pins； Archbishop of Amasie； administered the diocese of Lyons。
The quarrel over the valley of Dappes was begun between Switzerland and France by a memoir from Captain； afterwards General Dufour。
Saint…Simon； ignored； was erecting his sublime dream。
There was a celebrated Fourier at the Academy of Science； whom posterity has forgotten； and in some garret an obscure Fourier； whom the future will recall。Lord Byron was beginning to make his mark； a note to a poem by Millevoye introduced him to France in these terms：
a certain Lord Baron。
David d'Angers was trying to work in marble。
The Abbe Caron was speaking； in terms of praise； to a private gathering of seminarists in the blind alley of Feuillantines； of an unknown priest； named Felicite…Robert； who； at a latter date； became Lamennais。A thing which smoked and clattered on the Seine with the noise of a swimming dog went and came beneath the windows of the Tuileries； from the Pont Royal to the Pont Louis XV。； it was a piece of mechanism which was not good for much； a sort of plaything； the idle dream of a dream…ridden inventor； an utopiaa steamboat。
The Parisians stared indifferently at this useless thing。
M。 de Vaublanc； the reformer of the Institute by a coup d'etat； the distinguished author of numerous academicians； ordinances； and batches of members； after having created them； could not succeed in being one himself。The Faubourg Saint…Germain and the pavilion de Marsan wished to have M。 Delaveau for prefect of police； on account of his piety。Dupuytren and Recamier entered into a quarrel in the amphitheatre of the School of Medicine； and threatened each other with their fists on the subject of the divinity of Jesus Christ。
Cuvier； with one eye on Genesis and the other on nature； tried to please bigoted reaction by reconciling fossils with texts and by making mastodons flatter Moses。
M。 Francois de Neufchateau； the praiseworthy cultivator of the memory of Parmentier； made a thousand efforts to have pomme de terre ＇potato＇ pronounced parmentiere； and succeeded therein not at all。The Abbe Gregoire； ex…bishop； ex…conventionary； ex…senator； had passed； in the royalist polemics； to the state of 〃Infamous Gregoire。〃The locution of which we have made usepassed to the state ofhas been condemned as a neologism by M。 Royer Collard。
Under the third arch of the Pont de Jena； the new stone with which； the two years previously； the mining aperture made by Blucher to blow up the bridge had been stopped up； was still recognizable on account of its whiteness。Justice summoned to its bar a man who； on seeing the te d'Artois enter Notre Dame； had said aloud：
〃Sapristi！
I regret the time when I saw Bonaparte and Talma enter the Bel Sauvage； arm in arm。〃A seditious utterance。
Six months in prison。
Traitors showed themselves unbuttoned； men who had gone over to the enemy on the eve of battle made no secret of their repense； and strutted immodestly in the light of day； in the cynicism of riches and dignities； deserters from Ligny and Quatre…Bras； in the brazenness of their well…paid turpitude； exhibited their devotion to the monarchy in the most barefaced manner。
This is what floats up confusedly； pell…mell； for the year 1817； and is now forgotten。
History neglects nearly all these particulars； and cannot do otherwise； the infinity would overwhelm it。Nevertheless； these details； which are wrongly called trivial； there are no trivial facts in humanity； nor little leaves in vegetation；are useful。
It is of the physiognomy of the years that the physiognomy of the centuries is posed。In this year of 1817 four young Parisians arranged 〃a fine farce。〃
BOOK THIRD。IN THE YEAR 1817
CHAPTER II
A DOUBLE QUARTETTE
These Parisians came； one from Toulouse； another from Limoges； the third from Cahors； and the fourth from Montauban； but they were students； and when one says student； one says Parisian：to study in Paris is to be born in Paris。
These young men were insignificant； every one has seen such faces； four specimens of humanity taken at random； neither good nor bad； neither wise nor ignorant； neither geniuses nor fools； handsome； with that charming April which is called twenty years。
They were four Oscars； for； at that epoch； Arthurs did not yet exist。Burn for him the perfumes of Araby！ exclaimed romance。Oscar advances。
Oscar； I shall behold him！
People had just emerged from Ossian； elegance was Scandinavian and Caledonian； the pure English style was only to prevail later； and the first of the Arthurs； Wellington； had but just won the battle of Waterloo。
These Oscars bore the names； one of Felix Tholomyes； of Toulouse； the second； Listolier； of Cahors； the next； Fameuil； of Limoges； the last； Blachevelle； of Montauban。
Naturally； each of them had his mistress。
Blachevelle loved Favourite； so named because she had been in England； Listolier adored Dahlia； who had taken for her nickname the name of a flower； Fameuil idolized Zephine； an abridgment of Josephine； Tholomyes had Fantine； called the Blonde； because of her beautiful； sunny hair。
Favourite； Dahlia； Zephine； and Fantine were four ravishing young women； perfumed and radiant； still a little like working…women； and not yet entirely divorced from their needles； somewhat disturbed by intrigues； but still retaining on their faces something of the serenity of toil； and in their souls that flower of honesty which survives the first fall in woman。
One of the four was called the young； because she was the youngest of them； and one was called the old； the old one was twenty…three。 Not to conceal anything； the three first were more experienced； more heedless； and more emancipated into the tumult of life than Fantine the Blonde； who was still in her first illusions。
Dahlia； Zephine； and especially Favourite； could not have said as much。There had already been more than one episode in their romance； though hardly begun； and the lover who had borne the name of Adolph in the first chapter had turned out to be Alphonse in the second； and Gustave in the third。
Poverty and coquetry are two fatal counsellors； one scolds and the other flatters； and the beautiful daughters of the people have both of them whispering in their ear； each on its own side。
These badly guarded souls listen。
Hence the falls which they acplish； and the stones which are thrown at them。They are overwhelmed with splendor of all that is immaculate and inaccessible。
Alas！ what if the Jungfrau were hungry？
Favourite having been in England； was admired by Dahlia and Zephine。She had had an establishment of her own very early in life。Her father was an old unmarried professor of mathematics； a brutal man and a braggart； who went out to give lessons in spite of his age。This professor； when he was a young man； had one day seen a chambermaid's gown catch on a fender； he had fallen in love in consequence of this accident。
The result had been Favourite。
She met her father from time to time； and he bowed to her。
One morning an old woman with the air of a devotee； had entered her apartments； and had said to her； 〃You do not know me； Mamemoiselle？〃
〃No。〃 〃I am your mother。〃Then the old woman opened the sideboard； and ate and drank； had a mattress which she owned brought in； and installed herself。This cross and pious old mother never spoke to Favourite； remained hours without uttering a word； breakfasted； dined； and supped for four； and went down to the porter's quarters for pany； where she spoke ill of her daughter。
It was having rosy nails that were too pretty which had drawn Dahlia to Listolier； to others perhaps； to idleness。
How could she make such nails work？
She who wishes to remain virtuous must not have pity on her hands。
As for Zephine； she had conquered Fameuil by her roguish and caressing little way of saying 〃Yes； sir。〃
The young men were rades； the young girls were friends。Such loves are always acpanied by such friendships。
Goodness and philosophy are two distinct things； the proof of this is that； after making all due allowances for these little irregular households； Favourite； Zephine； and Dahlia were philosophical young women； while Fantine was a good girl。
Good！ some one will exclaim； and Tholomyes？
Solomon would reply that love forms a part of wisdom。
We will confine ourselves to saying that the love of Fantine was a first love； a sole love； a faithful love。
She alone； of all the four； was not called 〃thou〃 by a single one of them。
Fantine was one of those beings who blossom； so to speak； from the dregs of the people。
Though she had emerged from the most unfathomable d