om the very
first day of the world, and which every woman understands from the very
first day of her life! her mouth replied to one, and her glance replied
to another.

It must be supposed, that M. Leblanc finally noticed something, for
often, when Marius arrived, he rose and began to walk about. He had
abandoned their accustomed place and had adopted the bench by the
Gladiator, near the other end of the walk, as though with the object
of seeing whether Marius would pursue them thither. Marius did not
understand, and committed this error. "The father" began to grow
inexact, and no longer brought "his daughter" every day. Sometimes, he
came alone. Then Marius did not stay. Another blunder.

Marius paid no heed to these symptoms. From the phase of timidity, he
had passed, by a natural and fatal progress, to the phase of blindness.
His love increased. He dreamed of it every night. And then, an
unexpected bliss had happened to him, oil on the fire, a redoubling of
the shadows over his eyes. One evening, at dusk, he had found, on
the bench which "M. Leblanc and his daughter" had just quitted, a
handkerchief, a very simple handkerchief, without embroidery, but white,
and fine, and which seemed to him to exhale ineffable perfume. He seized
it with rapture. This handkerchief was marked with the letters U. F.
Marius knew nothing about this beautiful child,--neither her family
name, her Christian name nor her abode; these two letters were the first
thing of her that he had gained possession of, adorable initials, upon
which he immediately began to construct his scaffolding. U was evidently
the Christian name. "Ursule!" he thought, "what a delicious name!" He
kissed the handkerchief, drank it in, placed it on his heart, on his
flesh, during the day, and at night, laid it beneath his lips that he
might fall asleep on it.

"I feel that her whole soul lies within it!" he exclaimed.

This handkerchief belonged to the old gentleman, who had simply let it
fall from his pocket.

In the days which followed the finding of this treasure, he only
displayed himself at the Luxembourg in the act of kissing the
handkerchief and laying it on his heart. The beautiful child understood
nothing of all this, and signified it to him by imperceptible signs.

"O modesty!" said Marius.

CHAPTER VIII--THE VETERANS THEMSELVES CAN BE HAPPY

Since we have pronounced the word modesty, and since we conceal nothing,
we ought to say that once, nev