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the Gobelins； you e to a sort of field which is the only spot in the long and monotonous chain of the boulevards of Paris； where Ruysdeel would be tempted to sit down。
There is something indescribable there which exhales grace； a green meadow traversed by tightly stretched lines； from which flutter rags drying in the wind； and an old market…gardener's house； built in the time of Louis XIII。； with its great roof oddly pierced with dormer windows； dilapidated palisades； a little water amid poplar…trees； women； voices； laughter； on the horizon the Pantheon； the pole of the Deaf…Mutes； the Val…de…Grace； black； squat； fantastic； amusing； magnificent； and in the background； the severe square crests of the towers of Notre Dame。
As the place is worth looking at； no one goes thither。
Hardly one cart or wagoner passes in a quarter of an hour。
It chanced that Marius' solitary strolls led him to this plot of ground； near the water。
That day； there was a rarity on the boulevard； a passer…by。 Marius； vaguely impressed with the almost savage beauty of the place； asked this passer…by：〃What is the name of this spot？〃
The person replied：
〃It is the Lark's meadow。〃
And he added：
〃It was here that Ulbach killed the shepherdess of Ivry。〃
But after the word 〃Lark〃 Marius heard nothing more。
These sudden congealments in the state of revery； which a single word suffices to evoke； do occur。
The entire thought is abruptly condensed around an idea； and it is no longer capable of perceiving anything else。
The Lark was the appellation which had replaced Ursule in the depths of Marius' melancholy。〃Stop；〃 said he with a sort of unreasoning stupor peculiar to these mysterious asides； 〃this is her meadow。 I shall know where she lives now。〃
It was absurd； but irresistible。
And every day he returned to that meadow of the Lark。
THE LARK'S MEADOW
Marius had witnessed the unexpected termination of the ambush upon whose track he had set Javert； but Javert had no sooner quitted the building； bearing off his prisoners in three hackney…coaches； than Marius also glided out of the house。
It was only nine o'clock in the evening。
Marius betook himself to Courfeyrac。 Courfeyrac was no longer the imperturbable inhabitant of the Latin Quarter； he had gone to live in the Rue de la Verrerie 〃for political reasons〃； this quarter was one where； at that epoch； insurrection liked to install itself。
Marius said to Courfeyrac： 〃I have e to sleep with you。〃
Courfeyrac dragged a mattress off his bed； which was furnished with two； spread it out on the floor； and said：
〃There。〃
At seven o'clock on the following morning； Marius returned to the hovel； paid the quarter's rent which he owed to Ma'am Bougon； had his books； his bed； his table； his mode； and his two chairs loaded on a hand…cart and went off without leaving his address； so that when Javert returned in the course of the morning； for the purpose of questioning Marius as to the events of the preceding evening； he found only Ma'am Bougon； who answered： 〃Moved away！〃
Ma'am Bougon was convinced that Marius was to some extent an acplice of the robbers who had been seized the night before。 〃Who would ever have said it？〃 she exclaimed to the portresses of the quarter； 〃a young man like that； who had the air of a girl！〃
Marius had two reasons for this prompt change of residence。 The first was； that he now had a horror of that house； where he had beheld； so close at hand； and in its most repulsive and most ferocious development； a social deformity which is； perhaps； even more terrible than the wicked rich man； the wicked poor man。 The second was； that he did not wish to figure in the lawsuit which would insue in all probability； and be brought in to testify against Thenardier。
Javert thought that the young man； whose name he had forgotten； was afraid； and had fled； or perhaps； had not even returned home at the time of the ambush； he made some efforts to find him； however； but without success。
A month passed； then another。
Marius was still with Courfeyrac。 He had learned from a young licentiate in law； an habitual frequenter of the courts； that Thenardier was in close confinement。
Every Monday； Marius had five francs handed in to the clerk's office of La Force for Thenardier。
As Marius had no longer any money； he borrowed the five francs from Courfeyrac。
It was the first time in his life that he had ever borrowed money。
These periodical five francs were a double riddle to Courfeyrac who lent and to Thenardier who received them。
〃To whom can they go？〃 thought Courfeyrac。
〃Whence can this e to me？〃 Thenardier asked himself。
Moreover； Marius was heart…broken。 Everything had plunged through a trap…door once more。
He no longer saw anything before him； his life was again buried in mystery where he wandered fumblingly。 He had for a moment beheld very close at hand； in that obscurity； the young girl whom he loved； the old man who seemed to be her father； those unknown beings； who were his only interest and his only hope in this world； and； at the very moment when he thought himself on the point of grasping them； a gust had swept all these shadows away。 Not a spark of certainty and truth had been emitted even in the most terrible of collisions。
No conjecture was possible。
He no longer knew even the name that he thought he knew。
It certainly was not Ursule。
And the Lark was a nickname。
And what was he to think of the old man？
Was he actually in hiding from the police？ The white…haired workman whom Marius had encountered in the vicinity of the Invalides recurred to his mind。
It now seemed probable that that workingman and M。 Leblanc were one and the same person。
So he disguised himself？
That man had his heroic and his equivocal sides。 Why had he not called for help？
Why had he fled？
Was he； or was he not； the father of the young girl？
Was he； in short； the man whom Thenardier thought that he recognized？
Thenardier might have been mistaken。
These formed so many insoluble problems。 All this； it is true； d