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f absolute minds？
To the most absolute。
In what manner had Enjolras subjugated him？
By his ideas？
No。 By his character。 A phenomenon which is often observable。
A sceptic who adheres to a believer is as simple as the law of plementary colors。
That which we lack attracts us。
No one loves the light like the blind man。 The dwarf adores the drum…major。 The toad always has his eyes fixed on heaven。
Why？
In order to watch the bird in its flight。 Grantaire； in whom writhed doubt； loved to watch faith soar in Enjolras。 He had need of Enjolras。
That chaste； healthy； firm； upright； hard； candid nature charmed him； without his being clearly aware of it； and without the idea of explaining it to himself having occurred to him。
He admired his opposite by instinct。
His soft； yielding； dislocated； sickly； shapeless ideas attached themselves to Enjolras as to a spinal column。
His moral backbone leaned on that firmness。 Grantaire in the presence of Enjolras became some one once more。 He was； himself； moreover； posed of two elements； which were； to all appearance； inpatible。
He was ironical and cordial。 His indifference loved。
His mind could get along without belief； but his heart could not get along without friendship。 A profound contradiction； for an affection is a conviction。 His nature was thus constituted。
There are men who seem to be born to be the reverse； the obverse； the wrong side。
They are Pollux； Patrocles； Nisus； Eudamidas； Ephestion； Pechmeja。
They only exist on condition that they are backed up with another man； their name is a sequel； and is only written preceded by the conjunction and； and their existence is not their own； it is the other side of an existence which is not theirs。
Grantaire was one of these men。 He was the obverse of Enjolras。
One might almost say that affinities begin with the letters of the alphabet。
In the series O and P are inseparable。
You can； at will； pronounce O and P or Orestes and Pylades。
Grantaire； Enjolras' true satellite； inhabited this circle of young men； he lived there； he took no pleasure anywhere but there； he followed them everywhere。
His joy was to see these forms go and e through the fumes of wine。
They tolerated him on account of his good humor。
Enjolras； the believer； disdained this sceptic； and； a sober man himself； scorned this drunkard。
He accorded him a little lofty pity。
Grantaire was an unaccepted Pylades。
Always harshly treated by Enjolras； roughly repulsed； rejected yet ever returning to the charge； he said of Enjolras：
〃What fine marble！〃
A GROUP WHICH BARELY MISSED BEING HISTORIC
At that epoch； which was； to all appearances indifferent； a certain revolutionary quiver was vaguely current。
Breaths which had started forth from the depths of '89 and '93 were in the air。
Youth was on the point； may the reader pardon us the word； of moulting。 People were undergoing a transformation； almost without being conscious of it； through the movement of the age。
The needle which moves round the pass also moves in souls。
Each person was taking that step in advance which he was bound to take。 The Royalists were being liberals； liberals were turning democrats。 It was a flood tide plicated with a thousand ebb movements； the peculiarity of ebbs is to create intermixtures； hence the bination of very singular ideas； people adored both Napoleon and liberty。 We are making history here。
These were the mirages of that period。 Opinions traverse phases。
Voltairian royalism； a quaint variety； had a no less singular sequel； Bonapartist liberalism。
Other groups of minds were more serious。
In that direction； they sounded principles； they attached themselves to the right。 They grew enthusiastic for the absolute； they caught glimpses of infinite realizations； the absolute； by its very rigidity； urges spirits towards the sky and causes them to float in illimitable space。 There is nothing like dogma for bringing forth dreams。
And there is nothing like dreams for engendering the future。
Utopia to…day； flesh and blood to…morrow。
These advanced opinions had a double foundation。
A beginning of mystery menaced 〃the established order of things；〃 which was suspicious and underhand。
A sign which was revolutionary to the highest degree。
The second thoughts of power meet the second thoughts of the populace in the mine。
The incubation of insurrections gives the retort to the premeditation of coups d'etat。
There did not； as yet； exist in France any of those vast underlying organizations； like the German tugendbund and Italian Carbonarism； but here and there there were dark underminings； which were in process of throwing off shoots。
The Cougourde was being outlined at Aix； there existed at Paris； among other affiliations of that nature； the society of the Friends of the A B C。
What were these Friends of the A B C？
A society which had for its object apparently the education of children； in reality the elevation of man。
They declared themselves the Friends of the A B C；the Abaisse； the debased；that is to say； the people。
They wished to elevate the people。
It was a pun which we should do wrong to smile at。 Puns are sometimes serious factors in politics； witness the Castratus ad castra； which made a general of the army of Narses； witness： Barbari et Barberini； witness：
Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram； etc。； etc。
The Friends of the A B C were not numerous； it was a secret society in the state of embryo； we might almost say a coterie； if coteries ended in heroes。
They assembled in Paris in two localities； near the fish…market； in a wine…shop called Corinthe； of which more will be heard later on； and near the Pantheon in a little cafe in the Rue Saint…Michel called the Cafe Musain； now torn down； the first of these meeting…places was close to the workingman； the second to the students。
The assemblies of the Friends of the A B C were usually held in a back room of the Cafe Musain。
This hall； which was tolerably remote from the cafe； with which i