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Parbleu！ if you are not satisfied； dogs； burst！〃
This reminded Marius of the wretched girl's errand to himself。 He fumbled in his waistcoat pocket； and found nothing there。
The young girl went on； and seemed to have no consciousness of Marius' presence。
〃I often go off in the evening。
Sometimes I don't e home again。 winter； before we came here； we lived under the arches of the bridges。
We huddled together to keep from freezing。 My little sister cried。
How melancholy the water is！
When I thought of drowning myself； I said to myself：
‘No； it's too cold。' I go out alone； whenever I choose； I sometimes sleep in the ditches。 Do you know； at night； when I walk along the boulevard； I see the trees like forks； I see houses； all black and as big as Notre Dame； I fancy that the white walls are the river； I say to myself：
‘Why； there's water there！'
The stars are like the lamps in illuminations； one would say that they smoked and that the wind blew them out； I am bewildered； as though horses were breathing in my ears； although it is night； I hear hand…organs and spinning…machines； and I don't know what all。
I think people are flinging stones at me； I flee without knowing whither； everything whirls and whirls。 You feel very queer when you have had no food。〃
And then she stared at him with a bewildered air。
By dint of searching and ransacking his pockets； Marius had finally collected five francs sixteen sous。
This was all he owned in the world for the moment。
〃At all events；〃 he thought； 〃there is my dinner for to…day； and to…morrow we will see。〃
He kept the sixteen sous； and handed the five francs to the young girl。
She seized the coin。
〃Good！〃 said she； 〃the sun is shining！〃
And； as though the sun had possessed the property of melting the avalanches of slang in her brain； she went on：
〃Five francs！ the shiner！ a monarch！ in this hole！
Ain't this fine！ You're a jolly thief！
I'm your humble servant！
Bravo for the good fellows！
Two days' wine！ and meat！ and stew！ we'll have a royal feast！ and a good fill！〃
She pulled her chemise up on her shoulders； made a low bow to Marius； then a familiar sign with her hand； and went towards the door； saying：
〃Good morning； sir。
It's all right。
I'll go and find my old man。〃
As she passed； she caught sight of a dry crust of bread on the mode； which was moulding there amid the dust； she flung herself upon it and bit into it； muttering：
〃That's good！ it's hard！ it breaks my teeth！〃
Then she departed。
BOOK EIGHTH。THE WICKED POOR MAN
CHAPTER V
A PROVIDENTIAL PEEP…HOLE
Marius had lived for five years in poverty； in destitution； even in distress； but he now perceived that he had not known real misery。
True misery he had but just had a view of。 It was its spectre which had just passed before his eyes。 In fact； he who has only beheld the misery of man has seen nothing； the misery of woman is what he must see； he who has seen only the misery of woman has seen nothing； he must see the misery of the child。
When a man has reached his last extremity； he has reached his last resources at the same time。
Woe to the defenceless beings who surround him！
Work； wages； bread； fire； courage； good will； all fail him simultaneously。
The light of day seems extinguished without； the moral light within； in these shadows man encounters the feebleness of the woman and the child； and bends them violently to ignominy。
Then all horrors bee possible。
Despair is surrounded with fragile partitions which all open on either vice or crime。
Health； youth； honor； all the shy delicacies of the young body； the heart； virginity； modesty； that epidermis of the soul； are manipulated in sinister wise by that fumbling which seeks resources； which encounters opprobrium； and which acodates itself to it。 Fathers； mothers； children； brothers； sisters； men； women； daughters； adhere and bee incorporated； almost like a mineral formation； in that dusky promiscuousness of sexes； relationships； ages； infamies； and innocences。
They crouch； back to back； in a sort of hut of fate。 They exchange woe…begone glances。
Oh； the unfortunate wretches！ How pale they are！
How cold they are！
It seems as though they dwelt in a planet much further from the sun than ours。
This young girl was to Marius a sort of messenger from the realm
of sad shadows。
She revealed to him a hideous side of the night。
Marius almost reproached himself for the preoccupations of revery and passion which had prevented his bestowing a glance on his neighbors up to that day。
The payment of their rent had been a mechanical movement； which any one would have yielded to； but he； Marius； should have done better than that。
What！ only a wall separated him from those abandoned beings who lived gropingly in the dark outside the pale of the rest of the world； he was elbow to elbow with them； he was； in some sort； the last link of the human race which they touched； he heard them live； or rather； rattle in the death agony beside him； and he paid no heed to them！ Every day； every instant； he heard them walking on the other side of the wall； he heard them go； and e； and speak； and he did not even lend an ear！
And groans lay in those words； and he did not even listen to them； his thoughts were elsewhere； given up to dreams； to impossible radiances； to loves in the air； to follies； and all the while； human creatures； his brothers in Jesus Christ； his brothers in the people； were agonizing in vain beside him！ He even formed a part of their misfortune； and he aggravated it。 For if they had had another neighbor who was less chimerical and more attentive； any ordinary and charitable man； evidently their indigence would have been noticed； their signals of distress would have been perceived； and they would have been taken hold of and rescued！ They appeared very corrupt and very depraved； no doubt； very vile； very odious even； but those who fall without being degraded are rare； besides； there is a point where the unfortunate and the infamous unite and are confo