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〃I do not know you。〃
〃Neither do I know you；〃 responded Laigle。
Marius thought he had encountered a wag； the beginning of a mystification in the open street。
He was not in a very good humor at the moment。 He frowned。
Laigle de Meaux went on imperturbably：
〃You were not at the school day before yesterday。〃
〃That is possible。〃
〃That is certain。〃
〃You are a student？〃 demanded Marius。
〃Yes； sir。
Like yourself。
Day before yesterday； I entered the school； by chance。
You know； one does have such freaks sometimes。 The professor was just calling the roll。
You are not unaware that they are very ridiculous on such occasions。
At the third call； unanswered； your name is erased from the list。
Sixty francs in the gulf。〃
Marius began to listen。
〃It was Blondeau who was making the call。
You know Blondeau； he has a very pointed and very malicious nose； and he delights to scent out the absent。
He slyly began with the letter P。 I was not listening； not being promised by that letter。
The call was not going badly。 No erasures； the universe was present。
Blondeau was grieved。 I said to myself：
‘Blondeau； my love； you will not get the very smallest sort of an execution to…day。' All at once Blondeau calls； ‘Marius Pontmercy！'
No one answers。
Blondeau； filled with hope； repeats more loudly：
‘Marius Pontmercy！'
And he takes his pen。 Monsieur； I have bowels of passion。
I said to myself hastily： ‘Here's a brave fellow who is going to get scratched out。
Attention。 Here is a veritable mortal who is not exact。
He's not a good student。 Here is none of your heavy…sides； a student who studies； a greenhorn pedant； strong on letters； theology； science； and sapience； one of those dull wits cut by the square； a pin by profession。 He is an honorable idler who lounges； who practises country jaunts； who cultivates the grisette； who pays court to the fair sex； who is at this very moment； perhaps； with my mistress。
Let us save him。
Death to Blondeau！'
At that moment； Blondeau dipped his pen in； all black with erasures in the ink； cast his yellow eyes round the audience room； and repeated for the third time： ‘Marius Pontmercy！'
I replied：
‘Present！' This is why you were not crossed off。〃
〃Monsieur！〃 said Marius。
〃And why I was；〃 added Laigle de Meaux。
〃I do not understand you；〃 said Marius。
Laigle resumed：
〃Nothing is more simple。
I was close to the desk to reply； and close to the door for the purpose of flight。
The professor gazed at me with a certain intensity。
All of a sudden； Blondeau； who must be the malicious nose alluded to by Boileau； skipped to the letter L。 L is my letter。
I am from Meaux； and my name is Lesgle。〃
〃L'Aigle！〃 interrupted Marius； 〃what fine name！〃
〃Monsieur； Blondeau came to this fine name； and called： ‘Laigle！' I reply：
‘Present！' Then Blondeau gazes at me； with the gentleness of a tiger； and says to me：
‘lf you are Pontmercy； you are not Laigle。'
A phrase which has a disobliging air for you； but which was lugubrious only for me。
That said； he crossed me off。〃
Marius exclaimed：
〃I am mortified； sir〃
〃First of all；〃 interposed Laigle； 〃I demand permission to embalm Blondeau in a few phrases of deeply felt eulogium。
I will assume that he is dead。
There will be no great change required in his gauntness； in his pallor； in his coldness； and in his smell。 And I say：
‘Erudimini qui judicatis terram。
Here lies Blondeau； Blondeau the Nose； Blondeau Nasica； the ox of discipline； bos disciplinae； the bloodhound of the password； the angel of the roll…call； who was upright； square exact； rigid； honest； and hideous。 God crossed him off as he crossed me off。'〃
Marius resumed：
〃I am very sorry〃
〃Young man；〃 said Laigle de Meaux； 〃let this serve you as a lesson。 In future； be exact。〃
〃I really beg you a thousand pardons。〃
〃Do not expose your neighbor to the danger of having his name erased again。〃
〃I am extremely sorry〃
Laigle burst out laughing。
〃And I am delighted。
I was on the brink of being a lawyer。 This erasure saves me。
I renounce the triumphs of the bar。 I shall not defend the widow； and I shall not attack the orphan。 No more toga； no more stage。
Here is my erasure all ready for me。 It is to you that I am indebted for it； Monsieur Pontmercy。 I intend to pay a solemn call of thanks upon you。
Where do you live？〃
〃In this cab；〃 said Marius。
〃A sign of opulence；〃 retorted Laigle calmly。
〃I congratulate you。 You have there a rent of nine thousand francs per annum。〃
At that moment； Courfeyrac emerged from the cafe。
Marius smiled sadly。
〃I have paid this rent for the last two hours； and I aspire to get rid of it； but there is a sort of history attached to it； and I don't know where to go。〃
〃e to my place； sir；〃 said Courfeyrac。
〃I have the priority；〃 observed Laigle； 〃but I have no home。〃
〃Hold your tongue； Bossuet；〃 said Courfeyrac。
〃Bossuet；〃 said Marius； 〃but I thought that your name was Laigle。〃
〃De Meaux；〃 replied Laigle； 〃by metaphor； Bossuet。〃
Courfeyrac entered the cab。
〃Coachman；〃 said he； 〃hotel de la Porte…Saint…Jacques。〃
And that very evening； Marius found himself installed in a chamber of the hotel de la Porte…Saint…Jacques side by side with Courfeyrac。
BOOK FOURTH。THE FRIENDS OF THE A B C
CHAPTER III
MARIUS' ASTONISHMENTS
In a few days； Marius had bee Courfeyrac's friend。
Youth is the season for prompt welding and the rapid healing of scars。 Marius breathed freely in Courfeyrac's society； a decidedly new thing for him。
Courfeyrac put no questions to him。
He did not even think of such a thing。
At that age； faces disclose everything on the spot。
Words are superfluous。
There are young men of whom it can be said that their countenances chatter。
One looks at them and one knows them。
One morning； however； Courfeyrac abruptly addressed this interrogation to him：
〃By the way； have you any