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It must not be supposed that his reason was deranged。 Quite the contrary。
He had lost the faculty of working and of moving firmly towards any fixed goal； but he was endowed with more clear…sightedness and rectitude than ever。
Marius surveyed by a calm and real； although peculiar light； what passed before his eyes； even the most indifferent deeds and men； he pronounced a just criticism on everything with a sort of honest dejection and candid disinterestedness。
His judgment； which was almost wholly disassociated from hope； held itself aloof and soared on high。
In this state of mind nothing escaped him； nothing deceived him； and every moment he was discovering the foundation of life； of humanity； and of destiny。
Happy； even in the midst of anguish； is he to whom God has given a soul worthy of love and of unhappiness！ He who has not viewed the things of this world and the heart of man under this double light has seen nothing and knows nothing of the true。
The soul which loves and suffers is in a state of sublimity。
However； day followed day； and nothing new presented itself。 It merely seemed to him； that the sombre space which still remained to be traversed by him was growing shorter with every instant。 He thought that he already distinctly perceived the brink of the bottomless abyss。
〃What！〃 he repeated to himself； 〃shall I not see her again before then！〃
When you have ascended the Rue Saint…Jacques； left the barrier on one side and followed the old inner boulevard for some distance； you reach the Rue de la Sante； then the Glaciere； and； a little while before arriving at the little river of the Gobelins； you e to a sort of field which is the only spot in the long and monotonous chain of the boulevards of Paris； where Ruysdeel would be tempted to sit down。
There is something indescribable there which exhales grace； a green meadow traversed by tightly stretched lines； from which flutter rags drying in the wind； and an old market…gardener's house； built in the time of Louis XIII。； with its great roof oddly pierced with dormer windows； dilapidated palisades； a little water amid poplar…trees； women； voices； laughter； on the horizon the Pantheon； the pole of the Deaf…Mutes； the Val…de…Grace； black； squat； fantastic； amusing； magnificent； and in the background； the severe square crests of the towers of Notre Dame。
As the place is worth looking at； no one goes thither。
Hardly one cart or wagoner passes in a quarter of an hour。
It chanced that Marius' solitary strolls led him to this plot of ground； near the water。
That day； there was a rarity on the boulevard； a passer…by。 Marius； vaguely impressed with the almost savage beauty of the place； asked this passer…by：〃What is the name of this spot？〃
The person replied：
〃It is the Lark's meadow。〃
And he added：
〃It was here that Ulbach killed the shepherdess of Ivry。〃
But after the word 〃Lark〃 Marius heard nothing more。
These sudden congealments in the state of revery； which a single word suffices to evoke； do occur。
The entire thought is abruptly condensed around an idea； and it is no longer capable of perceiving anything else。
The Lark was the appellation which had replaced Ursule in the depths of Marius' melancholy。〃Stop；〃 said he with a sort of unreasoning stupor peculiar to these mysterious asides； 〃this is her meadow。 I shall know where she lives now。〃
It was absurd； but irresistible。
And every day he returned to that meadow of the Lark。
BOOK SECOND。EPONINE
CHAPTER II
EMBRYONIC FORMATION OF CRIMES IN THE INCUBATION OF PRISONS
Javert's triumph in the Gorbeau hovel seemed plete； but had not been so。
In the first place； and this constituted the principal anxiety； Javert had not taken the prisoner prisoner。
The assassinated man who flees is more suspicious than the assassin； and it is probable that this personage； who had been so precious a capture for the ruffians； would be no less fine a prize for the authorities。
And then； Montparnasse had escaped Javert。
Another opportunity of laying hands on that 〃devil's dandy〃 must be waited for。
Montparnasse had； in fact； encountered Eponine as she stood on the watch under the trees of the boulevard； and had led her off； preferring to play Nemorin with the daughter rather than Schinderhannes with the father。
It was well that he did so。 He was free。
As for Eponine； Javert had caused her to be seized； a mediocre consolation。
Eponine had joined Azelma at Les Madelonettes。
And finally； on the way from the Gorbeau house to La Force； one of the principal prisoners； Claquesous； had been lost。
It was not known how this had been effected； the police agents and the sergeants 〃could not understand it at all。〃
He had converted himself into vapor； he had slipped through the handcuffs； he had trickled through the crevices of the carriage； the fiacre was cracked； and he had fled； all that they were able to say was； that on arriving at the prison； there was no Claquesous。
Either the fairies or the police had had a hand in it。
Had Claquesous melted into the shadows like a snow…flake in water？
Had there been unavowed connivance of the police agents？ Did this man belong to the double enigma of order and disorder？ Was he concentric with infraction and repression？
Had this sphinx his fore paws in crime and his hind paws in authority？ Javert did not accept such minations； and would have bristled up against such promises； but his squad included other inspectors besides himself； who were more initiated than he； perhaps； although they were his subordinates in the secrets of the Prefecture； and Claquesous had been such a villain that he might make a very good agent。 It is an excellent thing for ruffianism and an admirable thing for the police to be on such intimate juggling terms with the night。 These double…edged rascals do exist。
However that may be； Claquesous had gone astray and was not found again。
Javert appeared to be more irritated than amazed at this。
As for Marius； 〃that booby of a lawyer；〃 who had probably bee frightened； and whose name Javert had forgotten； Javert attached very little importance to him。
Moreover； a lawyer can be hunted up at any time。
But was he a lawyer after all？
The investigation had begun。
The magistrate had thought it advisable not to put one of these men of the band of Patron Minette in close confinement； in the hope that he would chatter。
This man was Brujon； the long…haired man of the Rue du Petit…Banquier。 He had been let loose in the Charlemagne courtyard； and the eyes of the watchers were fixed on him。
This name of Brujon is one of the souvenirs of La Force。 In that hideous courtyard； called the court of the Batiment…Neuf （New Building）； which the administration called the court Saint…Bernard； and which the robbers called the Fosseaux…Lions （The Lion's Ditch）； on that wall covered with scales and leprosy； which rose on the left to a level with the roofs； near an old door of rusty iron which led to the ancient chapel of the ducal residence of La Force； then turned in a dormitory for ru