Marius' handsome hair was lustrous and perfumed; here and there, beneath
the thick curls, pale lines--the scars of the barricade--were visible.

The grandfather, haughty, with head held high, amalgamating more than
ever in his toilet and his manners all the elegances of the epoch of
Barras, escorted Cosette. He took the place of Jean Valjean, who, on
account of his arm being still in a sling, could not give his hand to
the bride.

Jean Valjean, dressed in black, followed them with a smile.

"Monsieur Fauchelevent," said the grandfather to him, "this is a fine
day. I vote for the end of afflictions and sorrows. Henceforth, there
must be no sadness anywhere. Pardieu, I decree joy! Evil has no right to
exist. That there should be any unhappy men is, in sooth, a disgrace
to the azure of the sky. Evil does not come from man, who is good at
bottom. All human miseries have for their capital and central government
hell, otherwise, known as the Devil's Tuileries. Good, here I am
uttering demagogical words! As far as I am concerned, I have no longer
any political opinions; let all me be rich, that is to say, mirthful,
and I confine myself to that."

When, at the conclusion of all the ceremonies, after having pronounced
before the mayor and before the priest all possible "yesses," after
having signed the registers at the municipality and at the sacristy,
after having exchanged their rings, after having knelt side by side
under the pall of white moire in the smoke of the censer, they arrived,
hand in hand, admired and envied by all, Marius in black, she in white,
preceded by the suisse, with the epaulets of a colonel, tapping the
pavement with his halberd, between two rows of astonished spectators, at
the portals of the church, both leaves of which were thrown wide open,
ready to enter their carriage again, and all being finished, Cosette
still could not believe that it was real. She looked at Marius, she
looked at the crowd, she looked at the sky: it seemed as though she
feared that she should wake up from her dream. Her amazed and uneasy air
added something indescribably enchanting to her beauty. They entered the
same carriage to return home, Marius beside Cosette; M. Gillenormand
and Jean Valjean sat opposite them; Aunt Gillenormand had withdrawn one
degree, and was in the second vehicle.

"My children," said the grandfather, "here you are, Monsieur le Baron
and Madame la Baronne, with an income of thirty thousand livres."