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at Evreus; or to the right at Laroche…Guyon。 Run after him; aunty。
What the devil am I to write to that good old soul?〃
At that moment a pair of black trousers descending from the imperial; made its appearance at the window of the coupe。
〃Can that be Marius?〃 said the lieutenant。
It was Marius。
A little peasant girl; all entangled with the horses and the postilions at the end of the vehicle; was offering flowers to the travellers。 〃Give your ladies flowers!〃 she cried。
Marius approached her and purchased the finest flowers in her flat basket。
〃e now;〃 said Theodule; leaping down from the coupe; 〃this piques my curiosity。
Who the deuce is he going to carry those flowers to? She must be a splendidly handsome woman for so fine a bouquet。 I want to see her。〃
And no longer in pursuance of orders; but from personal curiosity; like dogs who hunt on their own account; he set out to follow Marius。
Marius paid no attention to Theodule。
Elegant women descended from the diligence; he did not glance at them。
He seemed to see nothing around him。
〃He is pretty deeply in love!〃 thought Theodule。
Marius directed his steps towards the church。
〃Capital;〃 said Theodule to himself。
〃Rendezvous seasoned with a bit of mass are the best sort。
Nothing is so exquisite as an ogle which passes over the good God's head。〃
On arriving at the church; Marius did not enter it; but skirted the apse。
He disappeared behind one of the angles of the apse。
〃The rendezvous is appointed outside;〃 said Theodule。
〃Let's have a look at the lass。〃
And he advanced on the tips of his boots towards the corner which Marius had turned。
On arriving there; he halted in amazement。
Marius; with his forehead clasped in his hands; was kneeling upon the grass on a grave。
He had strewn his bouquet there。
At the extremity of the grave; on a little swelling which marked the head; there stood a cross of black wood with this name in white letters: COLONEL BARON PONTMERCY。
Marius' sobs were audible。
The 〃lass〃 was a grave。
BOOK THIRD。THE GRANDFATHER AND THE GRANDSON
CHAPTER VIII
MARBLE AGAINST GRANITE
It was hither that Marius had e on the first occasion of his absenting himself from Paris。
It was hither that he had e every time that M。 Gillenormand had said:
〃He is sleeping out。〃
Lieutenant Theodule was absolutely put out of countenance by this unexpected encounter with a sepulchre; he experienced a singular and disagreeable sensation which he was incapable of analyzing; and which was posed of respect for the tomb; mingled with respect for the colonel。
He retreated; leaving Marius alone in the cemetery; and there was discipline in this retreat。
Death appeared to him with large epaulets; and he almost made the military salute to him。 Not knowing what to write to his aunt; he decided not to write at all; and it is probable that nothing would have resulted from the discovery made by Theodule as to the love affairs of Marius; if; by one of those mysterious arrangements which are so frequent in chance; the scene at Vernon had not had an almost immediate counter…shock at Paris。
Marius returned from Vernon on the third day; in the middle of the morning; descended at his grandfather's door; and; wearied by the two nights spent in the diligence; and feeling the need of repairing his loss of sleep by an hour at the swimming…school; he mounted rapidly to his chamber; took merely time enough to throw off his travelling…coat; and the black ribbon which he wore round his neck; and went off to the bath。
M。Gillenormand; who had risen betimes like all old men in good health; had heard his entrance; and had made haste to climb; as quickly as his old legs permitted; the stairs to the upper story where Marius lived; in order to embrace him; and to question him while so doing; and to find out where he had been。
But the youth had taken less time to descend than the old man had to ascend; and when Father Gillenormand entered the attic; Marius was no longer there。
The bed had not been disturbed; and on the bed lay; outspread; but not defiantly the great…coat and the black ribbon。
〃I like this better;〃 said M。 Gillenormand。
And a moment later; he made his entrance into the salon; where Mademoiselle Gillenormand was already seated; busily embroidering her cart…wheels。
The entrance was a triumphant one。
M。 Gillenormand held in one hand the great…coat; and in the other the neck…ribbon; and exclaimed:
〃Victory!
We are about to penetrate the mystery!
We are going to learn the most minute details; we are going to lay our finger on the debaucheries of our sly friend!
Here we have the romance itself。 I have the portrait!〃
In fact; a case of black shagreen; resembling a medallion portrait; was suspended from the ribbon。
The old man took this case and gazed at it for some time without opening it; with that air of enjoyment; rapture; and wrath; with which a poor hungry fellow beholds an admirable dinner which is not for him; pass under his very nose。
〃For this evidently is a portrait。
I know all about such things。 That is worn tenderly on the heart。
How stupid they are! Some abominable fright that will make us shudder; probably!
Young men have such bad taste nowadays!〃
〃Let us see; father;〃 said the old spinster。
The case opened by the pressure of a spring。
They found in it nothing but a carefully folded paper。
〃From the same to the same;〃 said M。 Gillenormand; bursting with laughter。
〃I know what it is。
A billet…doux。〃
〃Ah! let us read it!〃 said the aunt。
And she put on her spectacles。
They unfolded the paper and read as follows:
〃For my son。The Emperor made me a Baron on the battlefield of Waterloo。
Since the Restoration disputes my right to this title which I purchased with my blood; my son shall take it and bear it。 That he will be worthy of it is a matter of course。〃
The feelings of father and daughter cannot be described。
They felt chilled as by the breath of a death's…head。 They did n