prevented by family
arrangements. He came at the hour when he knew that his son would be
brought to mass. The little one never suspected that his father was
there. Perhaps he did not even know that he had a father, poor innocent!
The father kept behind a pillar, so that he might not be seen. He gazed
at his child and he wept. He adored that little fellow, poor man! I
could see that. This spot has become sanctified in my sight, and I have
contracted a habit of coming hither to listen to the mass. I prefer it
to the stall to which I have a right, in my capacity of warden. I knew
that unhappy gentleman a little, too. He had a father-in-law, a wealthy
aunt, relatives, I don't know exactly what all, who threatened to
disinherit the child if he, the father, saw him. He sacrificed himself
in order that his son might be rich and happy some day. He was separated
from him because of political opinions. Certainly, I approve of
political opinions, but there are people who do not know where to stop.
Mon Dieu! a man is not a monster because he was at Waterloo; a father
is not separated from his child for such a reason as that. He was one of
Bonaparte's colonels. He is dead, I believe. He lived at Vernon, where I
have a brother who is a cure, and his name was something like Pontmarie
or Montpercy. He had a fine sword-cut, on my honor."

"Pontmercy," suggested Marius, turning pale.

"Precisely, Pontmercy. Did you know him?"

"Sir," said Marius, "he was my father."

The old warden clasped his hands and exclaimed:--

"Ah! you are the child! Yes, that's true, he must be a man by this
time. Well! poor child, you may say that you had a father who loved you
dearly!"

Marius offered his arm to the old man and conducted him to his lodgings.

On the following day, he said to M. Gillenormand:--

"I have arranged a hunting-party with some friends. Will you permit me
to be absent for three days?"

"Four!" replied his grandfather. "Go and amuse yourself."

And he said to his daughter in a low tone, and with a wink, "Some love
affair!"

CHAPTER VI--THE CONSEQUENCES OF HAVING MET A WARDEN

Where it was that Marius went will be disclosed a little further on.

Marius was absent for three days, then he returned to Paris, went
straight to the library of the law-school and asked for the files of the
Moniteur.

He read the Moniteur, he read all the histories of the Republic and
the Empire, the Memorial de Sainte-Helene, all the memo