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This success emboldened Marius。
〃On the front？〃 he asked。
〃Parbleu！〃 said the porter； 〃the house is only built on the street。〃
〃And what is that gentleman's business？〃 began Marius again。
〃He is a gentleman of property； sir。
A very kind man who does good to the unfortunate； though not rich himself。〃
〃What is his name？〃 resumed Marius。
The porter raised his head and said：
〃Are you a police spy； sir？〃
Marius went off quite abashed； but delighted。
He was getting on。
〃Good；〃 thought he； 〃I know that her name is Ursule； that she is the daughter of a gentleman who lives on his ine； and that she lives there； on the third floor； in the Rue de l'Ouest。〃
On the following day； M。 Leblanc and his daughter made only a very brief stay in the Luxembourg； they went away while it was still broad daylight。
Marius followed them to the Rue de l'Ouest； as he had taken up the habit of doing。
On arriving at the carriage entrance M。 Leblanc made his daughter pass in first； then paused； before crossing the threshold； and stared intently at Marius。
On the next day they did not e to the Luxembourg。
Marius waited for them all day in vain。
At nightfall； he went to the Rue de l'Ouest； and saw a light in the windows of the third story。
He walked about beneath the windows until the light was extinguished。
The next day； no one at the Luxembourg。
Marius waited all day； then went and did sentinel duty under their windows。
This carried him on to ten o'clock in the evening。
His dinner took care of itself。
Fever nourishes the sick man； and love the lover。
He spent a week in this manner。
M。 Leblanc no longer appeared at the Luxembourg。
Marius indulged in melancholy conjectures； he dared not watch the porte cochere during the day； he contented himself with going at night to gaze upon the red light of the windows。
At times he saw shadows flit across them； and his heart began to beat。
On the eighth day； when he arrived under the windows； there was no light in them。
〃Hello！〃 he said； 〃the lamp is not lighted yet。
But it is dark。 Can they have gone out？〃
He waited until ten o'clock。 Until midnight。 Until one in the morning。
Not a light appeared in the windows of the third story； and no one entered the house。
He went away in a very gloomy frame of mind。
On the morrow；for he only existed from morrow to morrow； there was； so to speak； no to…day for him；on the morrow； he found no one at the Luxembourg； he had expected this。
At dusk； he went to the house。
No light in the windows； the shades were drawn； the third floor was totally dark。
Marius rapped at the porte cochere； entered； and said to the porter：
〃The gentleman on the third floor？〃
〃Has moved away；〃 replied the porter。
Marius reeled and said feebly：
〃How long ago？〃
〃Yesterday。〃
〃Where is he living now？〃
〃I don't know anything about it。〃
〃So he has not left his new address？〃
〃No。〃
And the porter； raising his eyes； recognized Marius。
〃e！
So it's you！〃 said he； 〃but you are decidedly a spy then？〃
BOOK SEVENTH。PATRON MINETTE
CHAPTER I
MINES AND MINERS
Human societies all have what is called in theatrical parlance； a third lower floor。
The social soil is everywhere undermined； sometimes for good； sometimes for evil。
These works are superposed one upon the other。
There are superior mines and inferior mines。 There is a top and a bottom in this obscure sub…soil； which sometimes gives way beneath civilization； and which our indifference and heedlessness trample under foot。
The Encyclopedia； in the last century； was a mine that was almost open to the sky。
The shades； those sombre hatchers of primitive Christianity； only awaited an opportunity to bring about an explosion under the Caesars and to inundate the human race with light。
For in the sacred shadows there lies latent light。 Volcanoes are full of a shadow that is capable of flashing forth。 Every form begins by being night。
The catabs； in which the first mass was said； were not alone the cellar of Rome； they were the vaults of the world。
Beneath the social construction； that plicated marvel of a structure； there are excavations of all sorts。
There is the religious mine； the philosophical mine； the economic mine； the revolutionary mine。 Such and such a pick…axe with the idea； such a pick with ciphers。 Such another with wrath。
People hail and answer each other from one catab to another。
Utopias travel about underground； in the pipes。 There they branch out in every direction。
They sometimes meet； and fraternize there。
Jean…Jacques lends his pick to Diogenes； who lends him his lantern。
Sometimes they enter into bat there。 Calvin seizes Socinius by the hair。
But nothing arrests nor interrupts the tension of all these energies toward the goal； and the vast； simultaneous activity； which goes and es； mounts； descends； and mounts again in these obscurities； and which immense unknown swarming slowly transforms the top and the bottom and the inside and the outside。
Society hardly even suspects this digging which leaves its surface intact and changes its bowels。
There are as many different subterranean stages as there are varying works； as there are extractions。
What emerges from these deep excavations？ The future。
The deeper one goes； the more mysterious are the toilers。 The work is good； up to a degree which the social philosophies are able to recognize； beyond that degree it is doubtful and mixed； lower down； it bees terrible。
At a certain depth； the excavations are no longer penetrable by the spirit of civilization； the limit breathable by man has been passed； a beginning of monsters is possible。
The descending scale is a strange one； and each one of the rungs of this ladder corresponds to a stage where philosophy can find foothold； and where one encounters one of these workmen； sometimes divine； sometimes misshapen。
Below John Huss； there is Luther； below Luther； there is Descartes； below Descartes； there is Volt