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A society which had for its object apparently the education of children； in reality the elevation of man。
They declared themselves the Friends of the A B C；the Abaisse； the debased；that is to say； the people。
They wished to elevate the people。
It was a pun which we should do wrong to smile at。 Puns are sometimes serious factors in politics； witness the Castratus ad castra； which made a general of the army of Narses； witness： Barbari et Barberini； witness：
Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram； etc。； etc。
The Friends of the A B C were not numerous； it was a secret society in the state of embryo； we might almost say a coterie； if coteries ended in heroes。
They assembled in Paris in two localities； near the fish…market； in a wine…shop called Corinthe； of which more will be heard later on； and near the Pantheon in a little cafe in the Rue Saint…Michel called the Cafe Musain； now torn down； the first of these meeting…places was close to the workingman； the second to the students。
The assemblies of the Friends of the A B C were usually held in a back room of the Cafe Musain。
This hall； which was tolerably remote from the cafe； with which it was connected by an extremely long corridor； had two windows and an exit with a private stairway on the little Rue des Gres。
There they smoked and drank； and gambled and laughed。
There they conversed in very loud tones about everything； and in whispers of other things。 An old map of France under the Republic was nailed to the wall； a sign quite sufficient to excite the suspicion of a police agent。
The greater part of the Friends of the A B C were students； who were on cordial terms with the working classes。
Here are the names of the principal ones。
They belong； in a certain measure； to history：
Enjolras； beferre； Jean Prouvaire； Feuilly； Courfeyrac； Bahorel； Lesgle or Laigle； Joly； Grantaire。
These young men formed a sort of family； through the bond of friendship。
All； with the exception of Laigle； were from the South。
This was a remarkable group。
It vanished in the invisible depths which lie behind us。
At the point of this drama which we have now reached； it will not perhaps be superfluous to throw a ray of light upon these youthful heads； before the reader beholds them plunging into the shadow of a tragic adventure。
Enjolras； whose name we have mentioned first of all；the reader shall see why later on；was an only son and wealthy。
Enjolras was a charming young man； who was capable of being terrible。 He was angelically handsome。
He was a savage Antinous。
One would have said； to see the pensive thoughtfulness of his glance； that he had already； in some previous state of existence； traversed the revolutionary apocalypse。
He possessed the tradition of it as though he had been a witness。
He was acquainted with all the minute details of the great affair。
A pontifical and warlike nature； a singular thing in a youth。
He was an officiating priest and a man of war； from the immediate point of view； a soldier of the democracy； above the contemporary movement； the priest of the ideal。
His eyes were deep； his lids a little red； his lower lip was thick and easily became disdainful； his brow was lofty。
A great deal of brow in a face is like a great deal of horizon in a view。
Like certain young men at the beginning of this century and the end of the last； who became illustrious at an early age； he was endowed with excessive youth； and was as rosy as a young girl； although subject to hours of pallor。 Already a man； he still seemed a child。
His two and twenty years appeared to be but seventeen； he was serious； it did not seem as though he were aware there was on earth a thing called woman。 He had but one passionthe right； but one thoughtto overthrow the obstacle。
On Mount Aventine； he would have been Gracchus； in the Convention； he would have been Saint…Just。 He hardly saw the roses； he ignored spring； he did not hear the carolling of the birds； the bare throat of Evadne would have moved him no more than it would have moved Aristogeiton； he； like Harmodius； thought flowers good for nothing except to conceal the sword。 He was severe in his enjoyments。
He chastely dropped his eyes before everything which was not the Republic。
He was the marble lover of liberty。
His speech was harshly inspired； and had the thrill of a hymn。
He was subject to unexpected outbursts of soul。 Woe to the love…affair which should have risked itself beside him！ If any grisette of the Place Cambrai or the Rue Saint…Jean…de…Beauvais； seeing that face of a youth escaped from college； that page's mien； those long； golden lashes； those blue eyes； that hair billowing in the wind； those rosy cheeks； those fresh lips； those exquisite teeth； had conceived an appetite for that plete aurora； and had tried her beauty on Enjolras； an astounding and terrible glance would have promptly shown her the abyss； and would have taught her not to confound the mighty cherub of Ezekiel with the gallant Cherubino of Beaumarchais。
By the side of Enjolras； who represented the logic of the Revolution； beferre represented its philosophy。
Between the logic of the Revolution and its philosophy there exists this differencethat its logic may end in war； whereas its philosophy can end only in peace。 beferre plemented and rectified Enjolras。
He was less lofty； but broader。
He desired to pour into all minds the extensive principles of general ideas：
he said：
〃Revolution； but civilization〃； and around the mountain peak he opened out a vast view of the blue sky。 The Revolution was more adapted for breathing with beferre than with Enjolras。
Enjolras expressed its divine right； and beferre its natural right。
The first attached himself to Robespierre； the second confined himself to Condorcet。
beferre lived the life of all the rest of the world more than did Enjolras。 If it had been granted to these two young men to attain to history； the one would have been the just； the other the wise man。 Enjolras was the more virile； beferre the more humane。
Homo and vir； that was the exact effect of their different shades。
beferre was as gentle as Enjolras was severe； through natural whiteness。 He loved the word citizen； but he preferred the word man。
He would gladly have said：
Hombre； like the Spanish。
He read everything； went to the theatres； attended the courses of public lecturers； learned the polarization of light from Arago； grew enthusiastic over a lesson in which Geoffrey Sainte…Hilaire explained the double function of the external carotid artery； and the internal； the one which makes the face； and the one which makes the brain； he kept up with what was going on； followed science step by step； pared Saint…Simon with Fourier； deciphered hieroglyphics； broke the pebble which he found and reasoned on geology； drew from memory a silkworm moth； pointed out the faulty French in the Dictionary of the Academy； studied Puysegur and Deleuze； affirmed nothing； not even miracles； denied nothing； not even ghosts； turned over the files of the Moniteur； reflect