Take them。〃
It was already done。
The prowler executed the required feint； and said：
〃There is nothing there。〃
〃I have been robbed；〃 said the officer； 〃I am sorry for that。 You should have had them。〃
The steps of the patrol became more and more distinct。
〃Some one is ing；〃 said the prowler； with the movement of a man who is taking his departure。
The officer raised his arm feebly； and detained him。
〃You have saved my life。
Who are you？〃
The prowler answered rapidly； and in a low voice：
〃Like yourself； I belonged to the French army。
I must leave you。 If they were to catch me； they would shoot me。
I have saved your life。 Now get out of the scrape yourself。〃
〃What is your rank？〃
〃Sergeant。〃
〃What is your name？〃
〃Thenardier。〃
〃I shall not forget that name；〃 said the officer； 〃and do you remember mine。
My name is Pontmercy。〃
BOOK SECOND。THE SHIP ORION
CHAPTER I
NUMBER 24；601 BEES NUMBER 9；430
Jean Valjean had been recaptured。
The reader will be grateful to us if we pass rapidly over the sad details。
We will confine ourselves to transcribing two paragraphs published by the journals of that day； a few months after the surprising events which had taken place at M。 sur M。
These articles are rather summary。
It must be remembered； that at that epoch the Gazette des Tribunaux was not yet in existence。
We borrow the first from the Drapeau Blanc。
It bears the date of July 25； 1823。
An arrondissement of the Pas de Calais has just been the theatre of an event quite out of the ordinary course。
A man； who was a stranger in the Department； and who bore the name of M。 Madeleine； had； thanks to the new methods； resuscitated some years ago an ancient local industry； the manufacture of jet and of black glass trinkets。
He had made his fortune in the business； and that of the arrondissement as well； we will admit。
He had been appointed mayor； in recognition of his services。
The police discovered that M。 Madeleine was no other than an ex…convict who had broken his ban； condemned in 1796 for theft； and named Jean Valjean。 Jean Valjean has been remitted to prison。
It appears that previous to his arrest he had succeeded in withdrawing from the hands of M。 Laffitte； a sum of over half a million which he had lodged there； and which he had； moreover； and by perfectly legitimate means； acquired in his business。
No one has been able to discover where Jean Valjean has concealed this money since his return to prison at Toulon。
The second article； which enters a little more into detail； is an extract from the Journal de Paris； of the same date。 A former convict； who had been liberated； named Jean Valjean； has just appeared before the Court of Assizes of the Var； under circumstances calculated to attract attention。
This wretch had succeeded in escaping the vigilance of the police； he had changed his name； and had succeeded in getting himself appointed mayor of one of our small northern towns； in this town he had established a considerable merce。
He has at last been unmasked and arrested； thanks to the indefatigable zeal of the public prosecutor。 He had for his concubine a woman of the town； who died of a shock at the moment of his arrest。
This scoundrel； who is endowed with Herculean strength； found means to escape； but three or four days after his flight the police laid their hands on him once more； in Paris itself； at the very moment when he was entering one of those little vehicles which run between the capital and the village of Montfermeil （Seine…et…Oise）。 He is said to have profited by this interval of three or four days of liberty； to withdraw a considerable sum deposited by him with one of our leading bankers。 This sum has been estimated at six or seven hundred thousand francs。 If the indictment is to be trusted； he has hidden it in some place known to himself alone； and it has not been possible to lay hands on it。
However that may be； the said Jean Valjean has just been brought before the Assizes of the Department of the Var as accused of highway robbery acpanied with violence； about eight years ago； on the person of one of those honest children who； as the patriarch of Ferney has said； in immortal verse；
〃。 。 。 Arrive from Savoy every year；
And who； with gentle hands； do clear
Those long canals choked up with soot。〃
This bandit refused to defend himself。
It was proved by the skilful and eloquent representative of the public prosecutor； that the theft was mitted in plicity with others； and that Jean Valjean was a member of a band of robbers in the south。 Jean Valjean was pronounced guilty and was condemned to the death penalty in consequence。
This criminal refused to lodge an appeal。 The king； in his inexhaustible clemency； has deigned to mute his penalty to that of penal servitude for life。
Jean Valjean was immediately taken to the prison at Toulon。
The reader has not forgotten that Jean Valjean had religious habits at M。 sur M。 Some papers； among others the Constitutional； presented this mutation as a triumph of the priestly party。
Jean Valjean changed his number in the galleys。
He was called 9；430。
However； and we will mention it at once in order that we may not be obliged to recur to the subject； the prosperity of M。 sur M。 vanished with M。 Madeleine； all that he had foreseen during his night of fever and hesitation was realized； lacking him； there actually was a soul lacking。
After this fall； there took place at M。 sur M。 that egotistical division of great existences which have fallen； that fatal dismemberment of flourishing things which is acplished every day； obscurely； in the human munity； and which history has noted only once； because it occurred after the death of Alexander。 Lieutenants are crowned kings； superintendents improvise manufacturers out of themselves。
Envious rivalries arose。
M。 Madeleine's vast workshops were shut； his buildings fell to ruin； his workmen were scattered。
Some of them quitted the country； others abandoned the trade。
Thenceforth； everything was done on a small scale； instead of on a grand scale； for lucre instead of the general good。 There was no longer a centre； everywhere there was petition and animosity。
M。 Madeleine had reigned over all and directed all。 No sooner had he fallen； than each pulled things to himself； the spirit of bat succeeded to the spirit of organization； bitterness to cordiality； hatred of one another to the benevolence of the founder towards all； the threads which M。 Madeleine had set were tangled and broken； the methods were adulterated； the products were debased； confidence was killed； the market diminished； for lack of orders； salaries were reduced； the workshops stood still； bankruptcy arrived。
And then there was nothing more for the poor。 All had vanished。
The state itself perceived that some one had been crushed somewhere。 Less than four years after the judgment of the Court of Assizes establishing the identity of Jean Valjean and M。 Madeleine； for the benefit of the galleys； the cost of collecting taxes had doubled in the arrondissement of M。 sur M。； and M。 de Villele called attention to the fact in the rostrum； in the month of February； 1827。
BOOK SECOND。THE SHIP ORION
CHAPTER II
IN WHICH THE READER WILL PERUSE TWO VERSES； WHICH ARE OF THE DEVIL'S POSITION； POSSIBLY
Before proceeding further； it will be to the purpose to narrate in some detail； a singular occurrence which took place at about the same epoch； in Montfermeil； and which is not lacking in coincidence with certain conjectures of the indictment。
There exists in the region of Montfermeil a very ancient superstition； which is all the more curious and all the more precious； because a popular superstition in the vicinity of Paris is like an aloe in Siberia。 We are among those who respect everything which is in the nature of a rare plant。
Here； then； is the superstition of Montfermeil： it is thought that the devil； from time immemorial； has selected the forest as a hiding…place for his treasures。
Goodwives affirm that it is no rarity to encounter at nightfall； in secluded nooks of the forest； a black man with the air of a carter or a wood…chopper； wearing wooden shoes； clad in trousers and a blouse of linen； and recognizable by the fact； that； instead of a cap or hat； he has two immense horns on his head。
This ought； in fact； to render him recognizable。
This man is habitually engaged in digging a hole。 There are three ways of profiting by such an encounter。
The first is to approach the man and speak to him。
Then it is seen that the man is simply a peasant； that he appears black because it is nightfall； that he is not digging any hole whatever； but is cutting grass for his cows； and that what had been taken for horns is nothing but a dung…fork which he is carrying on his back； and whose teeth； thanks to the perspective of evening； seemed to spring from his head。 The man returns home and dies within the week。
The second way is to watch him； to wait until he has dug his hole； until he has filled it and has gone away； then to run with great speed to the trench； to open it once more and to seize the 〃treasure〃 which the black man has necessarily placed there。
In this case one dies within the month。
Finally； the last method is not to speak to the black man； not to look at him； and to flee at the best speed of one's legs。 One then dies within the year。
As all three methods are attended with their special inconveniences； the second； which at all events； presents some advantages； among others that of possessing a treasure； if only for a month； is the one most generally adopted。
So bold men； who are tempted by every chance； have quite frequently； as we are assured； opened the holes excavated by the black man； and tried to rob the devil。 The success of the operation appears to be but moderate。
At least； if the tradition is to be believed； and in particular the two enigmatical lines in barbarous Latin； which an evil Norman monk； a bit of a sorcerer； named Tryphon has left on this subject。 This Tryphon is buried at the Abbey of Saint…Georges de Bocherville； near Rouen； and toads spawn on his grave。
Accordingly； enormous efforts are made。
Such trenches are ordinarily extremely deep； a man sweats； digs； toils all night for it must be done at night； he wets his shirt； burns out his candle； breaks his mattock； and when he arrives at the bottom of the hole； when he lays his hand on the 〃treasure；〃 what does he find？ What is the devil's treasure？
A sou； sometimes a crown…piece； a stone； a skeleton； a bleeding body； sometimes a spectre folded in four like a sheet of paper in a portfolio； sometimes nothing。 This is what Tryphon's verses seem to announce to the indiscreet and curious：〃Fodit； et in fossa thesauros condit opaca；
As； nummas； lapides； cadaver； simulacra； nihilque。〃
It seems that in our day there is sometimes found a powder…horn with bullets； sometimes an old pack of cards greasy and worn； which has evidently served the devil。
Tryphon does not record thes