Les Misérables, v. 1/5: Fantine Read online

  Produced by Annemie Arnst, Ingrid Gonz?lez Reyes & MarcD'Hooghe at https://www.freeliterature.org

  LES MIS?RABLES

  BY VICTOR HUGO

  PART PREMIER

  FANTINE

  AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION BY SIR LASCELLES WRAXALL.

  _BOSTON:_

  LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY.

  1887

  VICTOR HUGO (1828)]

  PUBLISHERS' PREFACE.

  The present edition of "LES MIS?RABLES," in five volumes, has been madewith the special object of supplying the work in a proper form forlibrary use, embodying the two great requisites, clear type and handysize. It is in the main a reprint of the English translation, in threevolumes, by Sir Lascelles Wraxall, which was made with the sanctionand advice of the author. Chapters and passages omitted in the Englishedition have been specially translated for the present issue; numerouserrors of the press, etc., have been corrected; and the author's ownarrangement of the work in five parts, and his subdivisions into booksand chapters, have been restored.

  BOSTON, _Sept_. 1, 1887.

  PREFACE

  So long as, by the effect of laws and of customs, social degradationshall continue in the midst of civilization, making artificial hells,and subjecting to the complications of chance the divine destiny ofman; so long as the three problems of the age,--the debasement ofman by the proletariat, the ruin of woman by the force of hunger, thedestruction of children in the darkness,--shall not be solved; so longas anywhere social syncope shall be possible: in other words, and froma still broader point of view, so long as ignorance and misery shallremain 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. THOLOMY?S SINGS A SPANISH SONG V. AT BOMBARDA'S VI. IN WHICH PEOPLE ADORE EACH OTHER VII. THE WISDOM OF THOLOMY?S 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.

  CHAPTER

  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