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beferre was upholding it weakly。
Courfeyrac was energetically making a breach in it。 On the table lay an unfortunate copy of the famous Touquet Charter。 Courfeyrac had seized it； and was brandishing it； mingling with his arguments the rattling of this sheet of paper。
〃In the first place； I won't have any kings； if it were only from an economical point of view； I don't want any； a king is a parasite。
One does not have kings gratis。
Listen to this： the dearness of kings。
At the death of Francois I。； the national debt of France amounted to an ine of thirty thousand livres； at the death of Louis XIV。
it was two milliards； six hundred millions； at twenty…eight livres the mark； which was equivalent in 1760； according to Desmarets； to four milliards； five hundred millions； which would to…day be equivalent to twelve milliards。
In the second place； and no offence to beferre； a charter granted is but a poor expedient of civilization。
To save the transition； to soften the passage； to deaden the shock； to cause the nation to pass insensibly from the monarchy to democracy by the practice of constitutional fictions；what detestable reasons all those are！ No！ no！ let us never enlighten the people with false daylight。 Principles dwindle and pale in your constitutional cellar。 No illegitimacy； no promise； no grant from the king to the people。 In all such grants there is an Article 14。
By the side of the hand which gives there is the claw which snatches back。
I refuse your charter point…blank。 A charter is a mask； the lie lurks beneath it。 A people which accepts a charter abdicates。
The law is only the law when entire。
No！ no charter！〃
It was winter； a couple of fagots were crackling in the fireplace。 This was tempting； and Courfeyrac could not resist。
He crumpled the poor Touquet Charter in his fist； and flung it in the fire。 The paper flashed up。
beferre watched the masterpiece of Louis XVIII。 burn philosophically； and contented himself with saying：
〃The charter metamorphosed into flame。〃
And sarcasms； sallies； jests； that French thing which is called entrain； and that English thing which is called humor； good and bad taste； good and bad reasons； all the wild pyrotechnics of dialogue； mounting together and crossing from all points of the room； produced a sort of merry bombardment over their heads。
BOOK FOURTH。THE FRIENDS OF THE A B C
CHAPTER V
ENLARGEMENT OF HORIZON
The shocks of youthful minds among themselves have this admirable property； that one can never foresee the spark； nor divine the lightning flash。
What will dart out presently？
No one knows。 The burst of laughter starts from a tender feeling。
At the moment of jest； the serious makes its entry。
Impulses depend on the first chance word。
The spirit of each is sovereign； jest suffices to open the field to the unexpected。
These are conversations with abrupt turns； in which the perspective changes suddenly。 Chance is the stage…manager of such conversations。
A severe thought； starting oddly from a clash of words； suddenly traversed the conflict of quips in which Grantaire； Bahorel； Prouvaire； Bossuet； beferre； and Courfeyrac were confusedly fencing。
How does a phrase crop up in a dialogue？
Whence es it that it suddenly impresses itself on the attention of those who hear it？ We have just said； that no one knows anything about it。
In the midst of the uproar； Bossuet all at once terminated some apostrophe to beferre； with this date：
〃June 18th； 1815； Waterloo。〃
At this name of Waterloo； Marius； who was leaning his elbows on a table； beside a glass of water； removed his wrist from beneath his chin； and began to gaze fixedly at the audience。
〃Pardieu！〃 exclaimed Courfeyrac （〃Parbleu〃 was falling into disuse at this period）； 〃that number 18 is strange and strikes me。
It is Bonaparte's fatal number。
Place Louis in front and Brumaire behind； you have the whole destiny of the man； with this significant peculiarity； that the end treads close on the heels of the mencement。〃
Enjolras； who had remained mute up to that point； broke the silence and addressed this remark to beferre：
〃You mean to say； the crime and the expiation。〃
This word crime overpassed the measure of what Marius； who was already greatly agitated by the abrupt evocation of Waterloo； could accept。
He rose； walked slowly to the map of France spread out on the wall； and at whose base an island was visible in a separate partment； laid his finger on this partment and said：
〃Corsica； a little island which has rendered France very great。〃
This was like a breath of icy air。
All ceased talking。
They felt that something was on the point of occurring。
Bahorel； replying to Bossuet； was just assuming an attitude of the torso to which he was addicted。
He gave it up to listen。
Enjolras； whose blue eye was not fixed on any one； and who seemed to be gazing at space； replied； without glancing at Marius：
〃France needs no Corsica to be great。
France is great because she is France。
Quia nomina leo。〃
Marius felt no desire to retreat； he turned towards Enjolras； and his voice burst forth with a vibration which came from a quiver of his very being：
〃God forbid that I should diminish France！
But amalgamating Napoleon with her is not diminishing her。
e！ let us argue the question。 I am a new er among you； but I will confess that you amaze me。 Where do we stand？
Who are we？
Who are you？
Who am I？
Let us e to an explanation about the Emperor。
I hear you say Buonaparte； accenting the u like the Royalists。
I warn you that my grandfather does better still； he says Buonaparte'。 I thought you were young men。
Where； then； is your enthusiasm？
And what are you doing with it？
Whom do you admire； if you do not admire the Emperor？ And what more do you want？
If you will have none of that great man； what great men would you like？
He had everything。
He was plete。 He had in his brain the sum of human faculties。
He made codes like Justinian； he dictated