按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He stared tenderly and fixedly at all women； with the air of saying to them all：
〃If I only chose！〃 and of trying to make his rades believe that he was in general demand。
All those words：
rights of the people； rights of man； the social contract； the French Revolution； the Republic； democracy； humanity； civilization； religion； progress； came very near to signifying nothing whatever to Grantaire。
He smiled at them。 Scepticism； that caries of the intelligence； had not left him a single whole idea。
He lived with irony。
This was his axiom： 〃There is but one certainty； my full glass。〃
He sneered at all devotion in all parties； the father as well as the brother； Robespierre junior as well as Loizerolles。
〃They are greatly in advance to be dead；〃 he exclaimed。
He said of the crucifix：
〃There is a gibbet which has been a success。〃
A rover； a gambler； a libertine； often drunk； he displeased these young dreamers by humming incessantly： 〃J'aimons les filles； et j'aimons le bon vin。〃
Air：
Vive Henri IV。
However； this sceptic had one fanaticism。
This fanaticism was neither a dogma； nor an idea； nor an art； nor a science； it was a man：
Enjolras。
Grantaire admired； loved； and venerated Enjolras。 To whom did this anarchical scoffer unite himself in this phalanx of 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！〃
BOOK FOURTH。THE FRIENDS OF THE A B C
CHAPTER II
BLONDEAU'S FUNERAL ORATION BY BOSSUET
On a certain afternoon； which had； as will be seen hereafter； some coincidence with the events heretofore related； Laigle de Meaux was to be seen leaning in a sensual manner against the doorpost of the Cafe Musain。
He had the air of a caryatid on a vacation； he carried nothing but his revery； however。
He was staring at the Place Saint…Michel。 To lean one's back against a thing is equivalent to lying down while standing erect； which attitude is not hated by thinkers。
Laigle de Meaux was pondering without melancholy； over a little misadventure which had befallen him two days previously at the law…school； and which had modified his personal plans for the future； plans which were rather indistinct in any case。
Revery does not prevent a cab from passing by； nor the dreamer from taking note of that cab。
Laigle de Meaux； whose eyes were straying about in a sort of diffuse lounging； perceived； athwart his somnambulism； a two…wheeled vehicle proceeding through the place； at a foot pace and apparently in indecision。 For whom was this cabriolet？
Why was it driving at a walk？ Laigle took a survey。
In it； beside the coachman； sat a young man； and in front of the young man lay a rather bulky hand…bag。 The bag displayed to passers…by the following name inscribed in large black letters on a card which was sewn to the stuff：
MARIUS PONTMERCY。
This name caused Laigle to change his attitude。
He drew himself up and hurled this apostrophe at the young man in the cabriolet：
〃Monsieur Marius Pontmercy！〃
The cabriolet thus addressed came to a halt。
The young man； who also seemed deeply buried in thought； raised his eyes：
〃Hey？〃 said he。
〃You are M。 Marius Pontmercy？〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃I was looking for you；〃 resumed Laigle de Meaux。
〃How so？〃 demanded Marius； for it was he：
in fact； he had just quitted his grandfather's； and had before him a face which he now beheld for the first time。
〃I do not know you。〃
〃Neither do I know you；〃 responded Laigle。
Marius thought he had encountered a wag；