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rce； then turned in a dormitory for ruffians； there could still be seen； twelve years ago； a sort of fortress roughly carved in the stone with a nail； and beneath it this signature：
BRUJON； 1811。
The Brujon of 1811 was the father of the Brujon of 1832。
The latter； of whom the reader caught but a glimpse at the Gorbeau house； was a very cunning and very adroit young spark； with a bewildered and plaintive air。
It was in consequence of this plaintive air that the magistrate had released him； thinking him more useful in the Charlemagne yard than in close confinement。
Robbers do not interrupt their profession because they are in the hands of justice。
They do not let themselves be put out by such a trifle as that。
To be in prison for one crime is no reason for not beginning on another crime。
They are artists； who have one picture in the salon； and who toil； none the less； on a new work in their studios。
Brujon seemed to be stupefied by prison。
He could sometimes be seen standing by the hour together in front of the sutler's window in the Charlemagne yard； staring like an idiot at the sordid list of prices which began with：
garlic； 62 centimes； and ended with：
cigar； 5 centimes。
Or he passed his time in trembling； chattering his teeth； saying that he had a fever； and inquiring whether one of the eight and twenty beds in the fever ward was vacant。
All at once； towards the end of February； 1832； it was discovered that Brujon； that somnolent fellow； had had three different missions executed by the errand…men of the establishment； not under his own name； but in the name of three of his rades； and they had cost him in all fifty sous； an exorbitant outlay which attracted the attention of the prison corporal。
Inquiries were instituted； and on consulting the tariff of missions posted in the convict's parlor； it was learned that the fifty sous could be analyzed as follows：
three missions； one to the Pantheon； ten sous； one to Val…de…Grace； fifteen sous； and one to the Barriere de Grenelle； twenty…five sous。
This last was the dearest of the whole tariff。
Now； at the Pantheon； at the Val…de…Grace； and at the Barriere de Grenelle were situated the domiciles of the three very redoubtable prowlers of the barriers； Kruideniers； alias Bizarre； Glorieux； an ex…convict； and Barre…Carosse； upon whom the attention of the police was directed by this incident。 It was thought that these men were members of Patron Minette； two of those leaders； Babet and Gueulemer； had been captured。 It was supposed that the messages； which had been addressed； not to houses； but to people who were waiting for them in the street； must have contained information with regard to some crime that had been plotted。
They were in possession of other indications； they laid hand on the three prowlers； and supposed that they had circumvented some one or other of Brujon's machinations。
About a week after these measures had been taken； one night； as the superintendent of the watch； who had been inspecting the lower dormitory in the Batiment…Neuf； was about to drop his chestnut in the boxthis was the means adopted to make sure that the watchmen performed their duties punctually； every hour a chestnut must be dropped into all the boxes nailed to the doors of the dormitories a watchman looked through the peep…hole of the dormitory and beheld Brujon sitting on his bed and writing something by the light of the hall…lamp。 The guardian entered； Brujon was put in a solitary cell for a month； but they were not able to seize what he had written。 The police learned nothing further about it。
What is certain is； that on the following morning； a 〃postilion〃 was flung from the Charlemagne yard into the Lions' Ditch； over the five…story building which separated the two court…yards。
What prisoners call a 〃postilion〃 is a pallet of bread artistically moulded； which is sent into Ireland； that is to say； over the roofs of a prison； from one courtyard to another。 Etymology：
over England； from one land to another； into Ireland。 This little pellet falls in the yard。
The man who picks it up opens it and finds in it a note addressed to some prisoner in that yard。 If it is a prisoner who finds the treasure； he forwards the note to its destination； if it is a keeper； or one of the prisoners secretly sold who are called sheep in prisons and foxes in the galleys； the note is taken to the office and handed over to the police。
On this occasion； the postilion reached its address； although the person to whom it was addressed was； at that moment； in solitary confinement。
This person was no other than Babet； one of the four heads of Patron Minette。
The postilion contained a roll of paper on which only these two lines were written：
〃Babet。
There is an affair in the Rue Plumet。
A gate on a garden。〃
This is what Brujon had written the night before。
In spite of male and female searchers； Babet managed to pass the note on from La Force to the Salpetriere； to a 〃good friend〃 whom he had and who was shut up there。
This woman in turn transmitted the note to another woman of her acquaintance； a certain Magnon； who was strongly suspected by the police； though not yet arrested。 This Magnon； whose name the reader has already seen； had relations with the Thenardier； which will be described in detail later on； and she could； by going to see Eponine； serve as a bridge between the Salpetriere and Les Madelonettes。
It happened； that at precisely that moment； as proofs were wanting in the investigation directed against Thenardier in the matter of his daughters； Eponine and Azelma were released。
When Eponine came out； Magnon； who was watching the gate of the Madelonettes； handed her Brujon's note to Babet； charging her to look into the matter。
Eponine went to the Rue Plumet； recognized the gate and the garden； observed the house； spied； lurked； and； a few days later； brought to Magnon； who delivers in the Rue Clocheperce； a biscuit； which Magnon transmitted to Babet's mistress in the Salpetriere。 A biscuit； in the shady symbolism of prisons； signifies：
Nothing to be done。
So that in less than a week from that time； as Brujon and Babet met in the circle of La Force； the one on his way to the examination； the other on his way from it：
〃Well？〃 asked Brujon； 〃the Rue P。？〃
〃Biscuit；〃 replied Babet。
Thus did the foetus of crime engendered by Brujon in La Force miscarry。
This miscarriage had its consequences； however； which were perfectly distinct from Brujon's programme。
The reader will see what they were。
Often when we think we are knotting one thread； we are tying quite another。
BOOK SECOND。EPONINE
CHAPTER III
APPARITION TO FATHER MABEUF
Marius no longer went to see any one； but he sometimes encountered Father Mabeuf by chance。
While Marius was slowly descending those melancholy steps which may be called the cellar stairs； and which lead to places without light； where the happy can be heard walking overhead； M。 Mabeuf was descending on his side。
The Flora of Cauteretz no longer sold at all。
The exp