The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1920-06-11

the bishop and the hurdy-gurdy how
| The judge let him go: but Javert
was implacable and apprehended him
at Fantine's death-bed. He was lodged
In jail, but having enormous strength
ne broke out and returned to his bouse
to secure his great fortune. He had
time to hide his money in the haunted
forest of Montfermeil, but was can
tured and sent to the galleys for life.
Nine months later at Toulon he
broke his chain and saved the life of
sailor who was hanging head down
from the topmast of a ship, but he
himself either fell or jumped off from
the spar and was reported drowned
The battle of Waterloo had taken
place and the Thenadiers, who had
been guilty Of robbing the dead on the
fatal held, kept wretched inn at
Montfermeil. They treated Cozette,
now eight years old, with great cruelty.
Christmas, 1923, was the climax of her
wretchedness; she was sent after dark
to fetch water from a spring In the
dreadful forest. A poorly dressed
stranger, passing, carried her heavy
| bucket. At the tavern he protected
her from her mistress threatened
punishment and the next morning he
paid Thenadler 1900 francs and took
Cozette to Paris, where he occupied a
tumble-down habitation just outside
| of the city; the gloomiest place In all
the gloomy boulevard. BY day ugly, at
twilight lugubrious, and sL night sin
lister. He thought hiAself secure
there, but his benevolence made him
conspicuous, and the old care-taker, be-
ing full of envy and uncharita5leness,
grew suspicious of her ledger.
One day he saw Jayert, He took
Cosette and again fed. But Javert
was on his track. Only by unex-
ampled adroitness and by his colossal
strength did he escape by climbing
over high wan. He found himself
in the garden of the convent of the
Petit Pfcpus, where worked Pere
Fauchelevent, whose life NJ. Madeleine
has saved when he was mayor of
M. The gardener. out of his graft
tude, got him appointed his assistant
by representing him to be his brother.
Cosette was taken into the convent
school. She grew up into charming
girl; beauty suddenly came to her like
the blossoms to cherry tree in April,
and Jean Vatican, happy in loving her
as his daughter, as his granddaughter,
as the only woman he had ever loved,
guarded her as a sacred treasure.
He had good reason to be wary, for
the Thenadiers had come to Paris and
Joined band Of robbers; and Javert
never forgot. He had several desper-
ate encounters with them. On the one
side outlaws; on the other undertaking
law personified. He took part in the
abortive revolution of 1880 and saved
Javert's life, at last winning the adj
mfration of that implacable and fatally
honorable man.
But there was one danger from
which he could not protect Cosette:
the most beautiful thing in the world,
which nevertheless seemed to him his
worst enemy-love.
Baron Marius, the son of man
whom Thenadier had robbed at Water
loo and incidentally saved from a
terrible death, had been turned out of
his house by his royalist grandfather |
and was earning poor livelihood by |
literature. He saw her and they met. |
Their love went through more than the |
usual vicissitudes. During the insur-
rection Jean Vatican carried the youth |
through the mazes of the Paris sewers
and brought him desperately wounded
to his grandfathers house. The old |
man relented and consented to the |
marriage. Jean Vatican gave Cosette
a dowry of about 100000 francs. In |
order to have a conscience perfectly |
clear he told his life story to Marius.
who, not understanding the grandeur
of the spirit that had never done any
thing but good. allowed him to go away |
with broken heart. Thenadier, how
ever came to the baron to blackmail
him and unconsclously revealed what !
noble life Jean Vatican had led. |
Marius, taking Cosette, FASTENED to |
the old mans death-bed, and gave him
one last taste from the cup of happi-
ness. He died in their arms.
Victor Hugo calls lies Miserables"
ga drama in which the hero Is the
Infinite, the second character Is Man"
1t is in reality melodrama in which
are mingled scenes of history, host OF
characters from the highest to the |
lowest, improbabilities which strain |
ones credulity, vast amount of rare
aud curious information on all sorts
of subjects, dissertations on philoso-
ply, science, politics, and religion. Its
treatment of social injustice had a
powerful influence on public opinion,
not only in France but in many
countries. 1t has been an epoch-mak-
ing book.
Copyright, 1919. by the Post Publishing Co.
(The Boston POST.
Is