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〃That's good！ it's hard！ it breaks my teeth！〃
Then she departed。
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 without a morsel of bread for two days； four persons and my spouse ill。
If I am not deseaved in my opinion； I think I may hope that your generous heart will melt at this statement and the desire will subjugate you to be propitious to me by daigning to lavish on me a slight favor。
I am with the distinguished consideration which is due to the benefactors of humanity；
Jondrette。
P。S。 My eldest daughter will await your orders； dear Monsieur Marius。
This letter； ing in the very midst of the mysterious adventure which had occupied Marius' thoughts ever since the preceding evening； was like a candle in a cellar。
All was suddenly illuminated。
This letter came from the same place as the other four。 There was the same writing； the same style； the same orthography； the same paper； the same odor of tobacco。
There were five missives； five histories； five signatures； and a single signer。
The Spanish Captain Don Alvares； the unhappy Mistress Balizard； the dramatic poet Genflot； the old edian Fabantou； were all four named Jondrette； if； indeed； Jondrette himself were named Jondrette。
Marius had lived in the house for a tolerably long time； and he had had； as we have said； but very rare occasion to see； to even catch a glimpse of； his extremely mean neighbors。
His mind was elsewhere； and where the mind is； there the eyes are also。 He had been obliged more than once to pass the Jondrettes in the corridor or on the stairs； but they were mere forms to him； he had paid so little heed to them； that； on the preceding evening； he had jostled the Jondrette girls on the boulevard； without recognizing them； for it had evidently been they； and it was with great difficulty that the one who had just entered his room had awakened in him； in spite of disgust and pity； a vague recollection of having met her elsewhere。
Now he saw everything clearly。
He understood that his neighbor Jondrette； in his distress； exercised the industry of speculating on the charity of benevolent persons； that he procured addresses； and that he wrote under feigned names to people whom he judged to be wealthy and passionate； letters which his daughters delivered at their risk and peril； for this father had e to such a pass； that he risked his daughters； he was playing a game with fate； and he used them as the stake。
Marius understood that probably； judging from their flight on the evening before； from their breathless condition； from their terror and from the words of slang which he had overheard； these unfortunate creatures were plying some inexplicably sad profession； and that the result of the whole was； in the midst of human society； as it is now constituted； two miserable beings who were neither girls nor women； a species of impure and innocent monsters produced by misery。
Sad creatures； without name； or sex； or age； to whom neither good nor evil were any longer possible； and who； on emerging from childhood； have already nothing in this world； neither liberty； nor virtue； nor responsibility。
Souls which blossomed out yesterday； and are faded to…day； like those flowers let fall in the streets； which are soiled with every sort of mire； while waiting for some wheel to crush them。 Nevertheless； while Marius bent a pained and astonished gaze on her； the young girl was wandering back and forth in the garret with the audacity of a spectre。
She kicked about； without troubling herself as to her nakedness。
Occasionally her chemise； which was untied and torn； fell