Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the one hundred seventy-fourth chapter of Les Miserables.
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Today we'll be continuing Les Miserables by Victor Hugo chapter seven some petticoat we have mentioned a lancer.
He was a great grand nephew of Monsieur Gillenormand on the paternal side, who led a garrison life outside the family and far from the domestic hearth. Lieutenant Theodule Gillenormand fulfilled all the conditions required to make what is called a fine officer.
He had a ladys waist, a victorious manner of trailing his sword, and of twirling his mustache in a hook. He visited Paris very rarely, and so rarely that Marius had never seen him. The cousins knew each other only by name, we think.
We have said that Theodore was the favorite of Aunt Jill Normand, who preferred him because she did not see him. Not seeing people permits one to attribute to them all possible perfections.
One morning mademoiselle Gillenormand the elder returned to her apartment, as much disturbed as her placidity was capable of allowing. Marius had just asked his grandfathers permission to take a little trip, adding that he meant to set out that very evening.
Go had been his grandfathers reply, and monster Gillenormand had added an aside as he raised his eyebrows to the top of his forehead. Here he is, passing the night out again. Mademoiselle Julianormand had ascended to her chamber, greatly puzzled, and on the staircase had dropped.
This is too much, and this interrogation. But where is it that he goes? She espied some adventure of the heart, more or less illicit, a woman in the shadow, a rendezvous, a mystery.
And she would not have been sorry to thrust her spectacles into the affair. Tasting a mystery resembles getting the first flavor of a scandal. Sainted souls do not detest this.
There is some curiosity about scandal in the secret compartments of bigotry. So she was the prey of a vague appetite, of learning a history.
In order to get rid of this curiosity which agitated her a little beyond her want, she took refuge in her talents and set about scalloping with one layer of cotton after another, one of those embroideries of the empire and the restoration, in which there are numerous cartwheels. The work was clumsy, the worker cross. She had been seated at this for several hours. When the door opened, Mademoiselle Gillenormand raised her nose.
Lieutenant Theodule stood before her, making the regulation salute. She uttered a cry of delight.
1 may be old, 1 may be a prude, 1 may be pious, 1 may be an aunt, but it is always agreeable to see a lancer enter one's chamber. You hear, theodule? She exclaimed on my way through town, aunt. Embrace me. Here goes, said theodule, and he kissed her.
Aunt Jillenormand went to her writing desk and opened it. You will remain with us a week at least. I leave this very evening, aunt. It is not possible mathematically. Remain, my little theodule, I beseech you.
My heart says yes, but my orders say no. The matter is simple. They are changing our garrison. We have been at Melun. We are being transferred to Galen.
It is necessary to pass through Paris in order to get from the old post to the new one. I said, im going to see my aunt. Here is something for your trouble. And she put ten louis into his hand for my pleasure.
You mean to say, my dear aunt, they had all kissed her again, and she experienced the joy of having some of the skin scratched from her neck by the braidings on his uniform. Are you making the journey on horseback with your regiment? She asked him. No, aunt, I wanted to see you. I have special permission.
My servant is taking my horse. I am traveling by diligence. And by the way, I want to ask you something. What is it? Is my cousin, Marius Pontmercy, traveling so too?
How do you know that? Said his aunt, suddenly pricked to the quick with a lively curiosity. On my arrival I went to the diligence to engage my seat in the coop.
Well, a traveler had already come to engage a seat in the imperial. I saw his name on the card. What name? Marius Pontmercy. The wicked fellow. Exclaimed his aunt. Ah, your cousin is not a steady lad like yourself.
To think that he is to pass the night in a diligence, just as im going to do. But you, it is your duty. In his case, it is wildness. Bosh, said Theodule. Here an event occurred to Mademoiselle Gillenormand the Elder.
An idea struck her. If she had been a man, she would have slapped her brow. She apostrophized Theodule, are you aware whether your cousin knows you?
No, ive seen him, but he has never deigned to notice me. So are you going to travel together, he and the imperial, I and the coupe? Where does this diligence run? To Andillys.
Then that is where Marius is going. Unless, like myself, he should stop on the way. I get down at Vernon in order to take the branch coach for Galen.
I know nothing of Mariuss plan of travel. Marius. What an ugly name. What possessed them to name him Marius? You at least are called Theodule. I would rather be called Alfred, said the officer.
Listen, Theodule. Im listening, aunt pay attention. I am paying attention. You understand? Yes. Well, Marius absents himself, eh? Eh. He travels. Ah. Ah.
He spends the night out. Oh. Oh. We should like to know what there is behind all this.
Itll replied with the composure of a man of bronze, some petticoat or other, and with that inward laugh which denotes certainty, he added, alas, that is evident. Exclaimed his aunt, who thought she heard Monsieur de Lenormand speaking, and who felt her conviction become irresistible at that word follette.
Accentuated in almost the very same fashion by the grand uncle and the grandnephew. She resumed, do us a favor. Follow Marius a little. He does not know you. It will be easy, since, alas, there is. Try to get a sight of her.
You must write us the tale. It will amuse his grandfather.
Daniel had no excessive taste for this sort of spying, but he was much touched by the ten lui, and he thought he saw a chance for a possible sequel. He accepted the commission and said, as you please, aunt. And he added in an aside to himself, here I am a duenna.
Mademoiselle Gillenormand embraced him. You are not the man to play such pranks. Deadly. You will be disciplined. You are the slave of orders.
You are a man of scruples and duty, and you would not quit your family to go and see a creature. The lancer made the pleased grimace of Cartouche when praised for his probity.
Marius, on the evening following this dialogue, mounted the diligence without suspecting that he was watched. As for the watcher, the first thing he did was to fall asleep. His slumber was complete and conscientious. Argus snored all night long.
At daybreak, the conductor of the diligent shouted, Vernon. Relay at Vernon. Travelers for Vernon. And Lieutenant Thedoll awoke. Good. He growled, still half asleep. This is where I get out.
Then, as his memory cleared by degrees the effect of waking, he recalled his aunt, the ten Louis, and the account which he had undertaken to render of the deeds and proceedings of Marius. This set him to laughing. Perhaps hes no longer in the coach, he thought, as he rebuttoned the waistcoat of his undress uniform.
He may have stopped at Poiseye, he may have stopped at trail.
If he did not get out at Meulun, he may have got out at Mantis, unless he got out at Roulebois, or if he did not go on as far as Pacey, with the choice of turning to the left at Everest or to the ride at La Roche. Guyon. Run after him, auntie what the devil am I to write to that good old soul?
At that moment, a pair of black trousers descending from the imperial made its appearance at the window of the coupe. Can that be Marius? Said the lieutenant.
It was Marius, a little peasant girl all entangled with the horses and the postillions at the end of the vehicle was offering flowers to the travelers. Give your ladies flowers. She cried. Marius approached her and purchased the finest flowers in her flat basket.
Come now, said Theodule, leaping down from the coupe. This piques my curiosity. Who the deuce is he going to carry those flowers to? She must be a splendidly handsome woman for so fine a bouquet.
I want to see her. And no longer in pursuance of orders. Much from personal curiosity. Like dogs who hunt on their own account, he set out to follow Marius.
Marius paid no attention to Theodule. Elegant women descended from the diligence. He did not glance at them. He seemed to see nothing around him.
He is pretty deeply in love, thought theodule. Marius directed his steps towards the church. Capital, said Theodol to himself. Rendezvous seasoned with a bit of mass are the best sort.
Nothing is so exquisite as an ogle which passes over the good God's head. On arriving at the church, Marius did not enter it, but skirted the apse. He disappeared behind one of the angles of the apse.
The rendezvous is appointed outside, said Theodol. Lets have a look at the lass. And he advanced on the tips of his boots towards the corner which Marius had turned.
On arriving there, he halted in amazement. Marius, with his forehead clasped in his hands, was kneeling upon the grass on a grave.
He had strewn his bouquet there at the extremity of the grave, on a little swelling which marked the head, there stood a cross of black wood with this name in white letters Colonel Baron Pontmercy. Marius sobs were audible. The last was a grave.
Thank you for joining Byte at a time books today while we read a bite of one of your favorite classics again. My name is Brie Carlisle and I hope you come back tomorrow for the next bite of Le miserable.
