VICTOR HUGO
Lascelles Wraxall translation
PART PREMIER
FANTINE
AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION BY LASCELLES WRAXALL.
BOSTON:
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.
1887
VICTOR HUGO (1828)
PUBLISHERS' PREFACE.
The present edition of "LES MISÉRABLES," in five volumes, has been made with the special object of supplying the work in a proper form for library use, embodying the two great requisites, clear type and handy size. It is in the main a reprint of the English translation, in three volumes, by Sir Lascelles Wraxall, which was made with the sanction and advice of the author. Chapters and passages omitted in the English edition have been specially translated for the present issue; numerous errors of the press, etc., have been corrected; and the author's own arrangement of the work in five parts, and his subdivisions into books and chapters, have been restored.
BOSTON, Sept. 1, 1887.
PREFACE
So long as, by the effect of laws and of customs, social degradation shall continue in the midst of civilization, making artificial hells, and subjecting to the complications of chance the divine destiny of man; so long as the three problems of the age,—the debasement of man by the proletariat, the ruin of woman by the force of hunger, the destruction of children in the darkness,—shall not be solved; so long as anywhere social syncope shall be possible: in other words, and from a still broader point of view, so long as ignorance and misery shall remain on earth, books like this cannot fail to be useful.
HAUTEVILLE-HOUSE, 1862.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FANTINE.
BOOK I.
A JUST MAN.
I. M. MYRIEL
II. M. MYRIEL BECOMES MONSEIGNEUR WELCOME
III. A GOOD BISHOP AND A HARD BISHOPRIC
IV. WORKS RESEMBLING WORDS
V. MONSEIGNEUR'S CASSOCKS LAST TOO LONG
VI. BY WHOM THE HOUSE WAS GUARDED
VII. CRAVATTE
VIII. PHILOSOPHY AFTER DRINKING
IX. THE BROTHER DESCRIBED BY THE SISTER
X. THE BISHOP FACES A NEW LIGHT
XI. A RESTRICTION
XII. MONSEIGNEUR'S SOLITUDE
XIII. WHAT HE BELIEVED
XIV. WHAT HE THOUGHT
BOOK II.
THE FALL.
I. THE CLOSE OF A DAY'S MARCH
II. PRUDENCE RECOMMENDED TO WISDOM
III. THE HEROISM OF PASSIVE OBEDIENCE
IV. CHEESEMAKING AT PONTARLIER
V. TRANQUILLITY
VI. JEAN VALJEAN
VII. A DESPERATE MAN'S HEART
VIII. THE WAVE AND THE DARKNESS
IX. NEW WRONGS
X. THE MAN AWAKE
XI. WHAT HE DID
XII. THE BISHOP AT WORK
XIII. LITTLE GERVAIS
BOOK III.
IN THE YEAR 1817.
I. THE YEAR 1817
II. A DOUBLE QUARTETTE
III. FOUR TO FOUR
IV. THOLOMYÈS SINGS A SPANISH SONG
V. AT BOMBARDA'S
VI. IN WHICH PEOPLE ADORE EACH OTHER
VII. THE WISDOM OF THOLOMYÈS
VIII. THE DEATH OF A HORSE
IX. THE JOYOUS END OF JOY
BOOK IV.
TO CONFIDE IS SOMETIMES TO ABANDON.
I. TWO MOTHERS MEET
II. A SKETCH OF TWO UGLY FACES
III. THE LARK
BOOK V.
THE DESCENT.
I. PROGRESS IN BLACK-BEAD MAKING
II. MADELEINE
III. SUMS LODGED AT LAFITTE'S
IV. M. MADELEINE GOES INTO MOURNING
V. VAGUE FLASHES ON THE HORIZON
VI. FATHER FAUCHELEVENT
VII. FAUCHELEVENT BECOMES A GARDENER AT PARIS
VIII. MADAME VICTURNIEN SPENDS THIRTY FRANCS ON MORALITY
IX. SUCCESS OF MADAME VICTURNIEN
X. RESULT OF HER SUCCESS
XI. CHRISTUS NOS LIBERA VIT
XII. M. BAMATABOIS' IDLENESS
XIII. THE POLICE OFFICE
BOOK VI.
JAVERT.
I. THE COMMENCEMENT OF REPOSE
II. HOW "JEAN" MAY BECOME "CHAMP"
BOOK VII.
THE CHAMPMATHIEU AFFAIR.
I. SISTER SIMPLICE
II. SCAUFFLAIRE'S PERSPICACITY
III. A TEMPEST IN A BRAIN
IV. SUFFERINGS IN SLEEP
V. OBSTACLES
VI. SISTER SIMPLICE IS SORELY TRIED
VII. THE TRAVELLER TAKES PRECAUTIONS FOR RETURNING
VIII. INSIDE THE COURT
IX. THE TRIAL
X. THE SYSTEM OF DENIAL
XI. CHAMPMATHIEU IS ASTOUNDED
BOOK VIII.
THE COUNTERSTROKE.
I. M. MADELEINE LOOKS AT HIS HAIR
II. FANTINE IS HAPPY
III. JAVERT IS SATISFIED
IV. AUTHORITY RESUMES ITS RIGHTS
V. A VERY PROPER TOMB
ILLUSTRATIONS.
VICTOR HUGO (1828) Vol. I. Frontispiece. "'YOUR BLESSING,' SAID THE BISHOP, AND KNELT DOWN" Drawn by G. Jeanniot. FATHER FAUCHELEVENT Drawn by G. Jeanniot. FAUCHELEVENT AND THE GRAVE-DIGGER, Vol. II. Frontispiece Drawn by G. Jeanniot. "SHE GLIDED ALONG RATHER THAN WALKED" Drawn by G. Jeanniot. MARIUS Vol. III. Frontispiece Drawn by G. Jeanniot. BEGINNING OF A GREAT MALADY Drawn by G. Jeanniot. "ONE MORNING WHEN THE SUN WAS SHINING, AND BOTH WERE ON THE GARDEN STEPS" Vol. IV. Frontispiece Drawn by G. Jeanniot. RECRUITS Drawn by G. Jeanniot. "THE DEATH OF JEAN VALJEAN" Vol. V. Frontispiece Drawn by G. Jeanniot. THE DEATH OF GAVROCHE Drawn by G. Jeanniot.