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Benevolent Man：
If you deign to acpany my daughter； you will behold a misserable calamity； and I will show you my certificates。
At the aspect of these writings your generous soul will be moved with a sentiment of obvious benevolence； for true philosophers always feel lively emotions。
Admit； passionate man； that it is necessary to suffer the most cruel need； and that it is very painful； for the sake of obtaining a little relief； to get oneself attested by the authorities as though one were not free to suffer and to die of inanition while waiting to have our misery relieved。
Destinies are very fatal for several and too prodigal or too protecting for others。
I await your presence or your offering； if you deign to make one； and I beseech you to accept the respectful sentiments with which I have the honor to be； truly magnanimous man； your very humble and very obedient servant； P。 Fabantou； dramatic artist。
After perusing these four letters； Marius did not find himself much further advanced than before。
In the first place； not one of the signers gave his address。
Then； they seemed to e from four different individuals； Don Alveras； Mistress Balizard； the poet Genflot； and dramatic artist Fabantou； but the singular thing about these letters was； that all four were written by the same hand。
What conclusion was to be drawn from this； except that they all e from the same person？
Moreover； and this rendered the conjecture all the more probable； the coarse and yellow paper was the same in all four； the odor of tobacco was the same； and； although an attempt had been made to vary the style； the same orthographical faults were reproduced with the greatest tranquillity； and the man of letters Genflot was no more exempt from them than the Spanish captain。
It was waste of trouble to try to solve this petty mystery。
Had it not been a chance find； it would have borne the air of a mystification。 Marius was too melancholy to take even a chance pleasantry well； and to lend himself to a game which the pavement of the street seemed desirous of playing with him。
It seemed to him that he was playing the part of the blind man in blind man's buff between the four letters； and that they were making sport of him。
Nothing； however； indicated that these letters belonged to the two young girls whom Marius had met on the boulevard。
After all； they were evidently papers of no value。
Marius replaced them in their envelope； flung the whole into a corner and went to bed。 About seven o'clock in the morning； he had just risen and breakfasted； and was trying to settle down to work； when there came a soft knock at his door。
As he owned nothing； he never locked his door； unless occasionally； though very rarely； when he was engaged in some pressing work。 Even when absent he left his key in the lock。
〃You will be robbed；〃 said Ma'am Bougon。
〃Of what？〃 said Marius。
The truth is； however； that he had； one day； been robbed of an old pair of boots； to the great triumph of Ma'am Bougon。
There came a second knock； as gentle as the first。
〃e in；〃 said Marius。
The door opened。
〃What do you want； Ma'am Bougon？〃 asked Marius； without raising his eyes from the books and manuscripts on his table。
A voice which did not belong to Ma'am Bougon replied：
〃Excuse me； sir〃
It was a dull； broken； hoarse； strangled voice； the voice of an old man； roughened with brandy and liquor。
Marius turned round hastily； and beheld a young girl。
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER IV
A ROSE IN MISERY
A very young girl was standing in the half…open door。
The dormer window of the garret； through which the light fell； was precisely opposite the door； and illuminated the figure with a wan light。 She was a frail； emaciated； slender creature； there was nothing but a chemise and a petticoat upon that chilled and shivering nakedness。 Her girdle was a string； her head ribbon a string； her pointed shoulders emerged from her chemise； a blond and lymphatic pallor； earth…colored collar…bones； red hands； a half…open and degraded mouth； missing teeth； dull； bold； base eyes； she had the form of a young girl who has missed her youth； and the look of a corrupt old woman； fifty years mingled with fifteen； one of those beings which are both feeble and horrible； and which cause those to shudder whom they do not cause to weep。
Marius had risen； and was staring in a sort of stupor at this being； who was almost like the forms of the shadows which traverse dreams。
The most heart…breaking thing of all was； that this young girl had not e into the world to be homely。
In her early childhood she must even have been pretty。
The grace of her age was still struggling against the hideous； premature decrepitude of debauchery and poverty。 The remains of beauty were dying away in that face of sixteen； like the pale sunlight which is extinguished under hideous clouds at dawn on a winter's day。
That face was not wholly unknown to Marius。
He thought he remembered having seen it somewhere。
〃What do you wish； Mademoiselle？〃 he asked。
The young girl replied in her voice of a drunken convict：
〃Here is a letter for you； Monsieur Marius。〃
She called Marius by his name； he could not doubt that he was the person whom she wanted； but who was this girl？
How did she know his name？
Without waiting for him to tell her to advance； she entered。 She entered resolutely； staring； with a sort of assurance that made the heart bleed； at the whole room and the unmade bed。
Her feet were bare。
Large holes in her petticoat permitted glimpses of her long legs and her thin knees。
She was shivering。
She held a letter in her hand； which she presented to Marius。
Marius； as he opened the letter； noticed that the enormous wafer which sealed it was still moist。
The message could not have e from a distance。
He read：
My amiable neighbor； young man：
I have learned of your goodness to me； that you paid my rent six months ago。
I bless you； young man。 My eldest daughter will tell you that we have been withou