Les Misérables cover

Les Misérables

Victor Hugo (1802-1885), trans. Isabel Florence Hapgood

Original en 560807 words First published 1862 France

Victor Hugo's 1862 novel, in Isabel F. Hapgood's standard English translation. Jean Valjean is released from the galleys after nineteen years for stealing bread, meets the saintly Bishop Myriel, and spends the rest of his life climbing toward goodness under an assumed name. Against him stands Inspector Javert, who cannot conceive of a convict becoming a good man; around them lies the France of the barricades — Fantine's ruin, little Cosette in the Thénardier inn, the sewers of Paris, the students of 1832. Five parts, a hundred characters, and a plea for the poor that has never gone out of print.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

Table of Contents

  1. 001 PREFACE So long as there shall exist, by virtue of law and custom… 2562 words
  2. 002 “Expenses of carriage? What can be done with it in a town of less… 2511 words
  3. 003 “Man has upon him his flesh, which is at once his burden and his temptation. 2624 words
  4. 004 Sometimes, in the midst of his reading, no matter what the book might… 2556 words
  5. 005 He even pushed as far as Embrun, entered the cathedral one night, and… 2597 words
  6. 006 CHAPTER IX—THE BROTHER AS DEPICTED BY THE SISTER In order to furnish… 2597 words
  7. 007 The old man turned to the shepherd lad:— “Go to thy bed; thou wert… 2516 words
  8. 008 And ceasing to gaze at the Bishop, the conventionary concluded his… 2628 words
  9. 009 In the course of nine years Monseigneur Bienvenu had, by dint of holy… 2561 words
  10. 010 He seated himself on a wooden bench, with his back against a decrepit… 2504 words
  11. 011 Then the host bent down to his ear, and said in a tone which made him… 2530 words
  12. 012 He retraced his steps; the gates of D—— were closed. 2535 words
  13. 013 “Madame Magloire,” said the Bishop, “you will put white sheets on the… 2685 words
  14. 014 “Madame Magloire returned immediately. 2583 words
  15. 015 Room for a brief parenthesis. 2551 words
  16. 016 In this situation Jean Valjean meditated; and what could be the nature of his meditation? 2559 words
  17. 017 Having taken this survey, he executed a movement like that of a man… 2534 words
  18. 018 “In that case,” replied the brigadier, “we can let him go?”… 2648 words
  19. 019 That which was certain, that which he did not doubt, was that he was… 2605 words
  20. 020 “Even when Loyson steals, one feels that he has paws.” As Cardinal… 2551 words
  21. 021 Let us say at once that that merry obstacle, a shower, was lacking in… 2585 words
  22. 022 Prefects of the police do not deem it possible that a cat can… 2695 words
  23. 023 Tholomyès paused. “Take breath, Tholomyès,” said Blachevelle. At the… 2587 words
  24. 024 The two children, who were dressed prettily and with some elegance… 2505 words
  25. 025 “I will pay it,” said the mother. 2553 words
  26. 026 It was from this slender capital, enlisted in the service of an… 2609 words
  27. 027 Nevertheless, people continued to say that no one ever got into the… 2501 words
  28. 028 Javert’s whole person was expressive of the man who spies and who… 2502 words
  29. 029 It was remarked that in the workroom she often turned aside, in the… 2501 words
  30. 030 “That makes forty francs.” “Yes,” said Fantine; “that makes forty… 2534 words
  31. 031 When he had finished he signed the paper, folded it, and said to the… 2514 words
  32. 032 “Inspector Javert,” replied M. 2650 words
  33. 033 At last the mayor laid down his pen and turned half round. 2583 words
  34. 034 All this was uttered in a proud, humble, despairing, yet convinced… 2588 words
  35. 035 “Is Monsieur le Maire ill? 2537 words
  36. 036 All this was so strange and so violent, that there suddenly took… 2512 words
  37. 037 “Ah! but I have hitherto considered no one but myself; it is proper… 2592 words
  38. 038 And do what he would, he always fell back upon the heartrending… 2513 words
  39. 039 It was broad daylight when he arrived at Hesdin. 2503 words
  40. 040 “How far is it from here to Arras?” “Nearly seven good leagues.” “How is that? 2597 words
  41. 041 The sister, who had no idea of distances, replied, “Oh, I think that… 2520 words
  42. 042 The unhappy man whose history we are relating had remained near the… 2998 words
  43. 043 The district-attorney answered the counsel for the defence. 2507 words
  44. 044 The ex-convict Brevet wore the black and gray waistcoat of the central prisons. 2510 words
  45. 045 Less than an hour after this, the verdict of the jury freed the said… 2534 words
  46. 046 However, he had hardly quitted the audience hall of the Court of… 2539 words
  47. 047 What did he say to her? What could this man, who was reproved, say to… 2521 words
  48. 048 On the right, close to the road, was an inn, with a four-wheeled cart… 2529 words
  49. 049 It was in this garden, further down than the orchard, that six… 2535 words
  50. 050 The action was begun furiously, with more fury, perhaps, than the… 2855 words
  51. 051 At nine o’clock, at the instant when the French army, ranged in… 2512 words
  52. 052 Nothing like it had been seen since the taking of the great redoubt… 2702 words
  53. 053 It was at about that moment that a distant line of bayonets gleamed… 2513 words
  54. 054 At our own risk and peril, let us violate this injunction. 2616 words
  55. 055 CHAPTER XVII—IS WATERLOO TO BE CONSIDERED GOOD? 2604 words
  56. 056 Certain nocturnal wading birds produce these silhouettes among the marshes. 2504 words
  57. 057 CHAPTER II—IN WHICH THE READER WILL PERUSE TWO VERSES, WHICH ARE OF… 2507 words
  58. 058 Soldiers of the war of 1808, on whom Saragossa had fallen in… 2655 words
  59. 059 It was necessary to fetch it from a considerable distance; the end of… 2517 words
  60. 060 This woman was a formidable creature who loved no one except her… 2525 words
  61. 061 As she ran she felt like crying. 2543 words
  62. 062 When the man in the yellow coat had thrown the agent off his track… 2511 words
  63. 063 Her fear was such, that on her arrival, wet as she was, Cosette did… 2609 words
  64. 064 No one had seen her, except the traveller, who was slowly devouring his meagre supper. 2511 words
  65. 065 Against her breast was pressed the doll, whose large eyes, wide open… 2519 words
  66. 066 “Sir,” said he, “I am in need of fifteen hundred francs.” The… 2584 words
  67. 067 CHAPTER XI—NUMBER 9,430 REAPPEARS, AND COSETTE WINS IT IN THE LOTTERY… 2503 words
  68. 068 In summer, at twilight, one saw, here and there, a few old women… 2570 words
  69. 069 It turned out that Cosette was a very gay little person. 2507 words
  70. 070 Jean Valjean instantly quitted the boulevard and plunged into the… 2665 words
  71. 071 CHAPTER IV—THE GROPINGS OF FLIGHT In order to understand what… 2539 words
  72. 072 The building was a sort of ruin, where dismantled chambers were… 2509 words
  73. 073 “And what are you doing here?” resumed Jean Valjean. 2515 words
  74. 074 Javert had followed Jean Valjean from tree to tree, then from corner… 2639 words
  75. 075 The first minutes passed; when one’s eyes began to grow used to this… 2543 words
  76. 076 They had obtained a mediocre consolation at best,—permission to be… 2613 words
  77. 077 In 1827 this characteristic orison had disappeared from the wall… 2532 words
  78. 078 The church of the house, constructed in such a manner as to separate… 2532 words
  79. 079 As we have said, this convent of the Temple was occupied by… 2604 words
  80. 080 “Ingrates!” says the garment, “I protected you in inclement weather. 2507 words
  81. 081 The taking of the veil or the frock is a suicide paid for with eternity. 2509 words
  82. 082 “I understand, Father Fauchelevent. 2501 words
  83. 083 “Three years ago, Madame de Béthune, a Jansenist, turned orthodox… 2581 words
  84. 084 “No!” “What else remains?” “The empty coffin remains.” This produced a pause. 2785 words
  85. 085 This cemetery, with its peculiarities outside the regulations… 2503 words
  86. 086 “It is Argenteuil wine, at six.” “Oh, come,” said the grave-digger… 2512 words
  87. 087 The porter, who had received his instructions, opened the little… 2524 words
  88. 088 On the one hand, miasms; on the other, an ineffable perfume. 2538 words
  89. 089 Hence, in these not very attractive places, indelibly stamped by the… 2549 words
  90. 090 Nevertheless, whatever may be the Voltairianism of the small gamin… 2786 words
  91. 091 CHAPTER XIII—LITTLE GAVROCHE [Illustration: Little Gavroche] Eight or… 2696 words
  92. 092 CHAPTER V—BASQUE AND NICOLETTE He had theories. 2522 words
  93. 093 Madame de T. lived far from the Court; “a very mixed society,” as she… 2712 words
  94. 094 In the same way, there were at Rome Carthaginian prisoners who… 2515 words
  95. 095 To be ultra is to go beyond. 2545 words
  96. 096 Marius wore crape on his hat. 2664 words
  97. 097 At all events, a tremendous step had been taken. 2515 words
  98. 098 But the youth had taken less time to descend than the old man had to… 2889 words
  99. 099 By the side of Enjolras, who represented the logic of the Revolution… 2521 words
  100. 100 Bossuet was a gay but unlucky fellow. 2567 words
  101. 101 “In this cab,” said Marius. 2519 words
  102. 102 “Silence then, capital R!” resumed Bossuet, who was discussing a… 2528 words
  103. 103 The wild and tender accents with which Combeferre sang communicated… 2583 words
  104. 104 During all these trials he had felt himself encouraged and even… 3065 words
  105. 105 His servant was also a sort of innocent. 2598 words
  106. 106 “That is true,” said Théodule. 2569 words
  107. 107 When Marius passed near her, he could not see her eyes, which were constantly lowered. 2545 words
  108. 108 CHAPTER VI—TAKEN PRISONER On one of the last days of the second week… 2510 words
  109. 109 His hunger was increasing. 2566 words
  110. 110 Later on he had abandoned everything, in order to “undertake Paris.”… 2504 words
  111. 111 Marius had halted for a moment. 2503 words
  112. 112 Now he saw everything clearly. 2648 words
  113. 113 “Let us get some little idea of what these people are like,” thought… 2500 words
  114. 114 The mother, who had not said a word so far, now rose and demanded in… 2589 words
  115. 115 While the young girl was engaged in opening the package, unfolding… 2509 words
  116. 116 But Jondrette had bent over and spoke to his wife in a whisper. 2630 words
  117. 117 At the sound of this number, the inspector raised his head, and said… 2509 words
  118. 118 She smoothed her hair with the palm of her hand, and smiled into the… 2509 words
  119. 119 “You are always too good to me, Monsieur Jondrette!” “Jondrette!” said M. 2685 words
  120. 120 He shuddered. Everything depended on him. Unknown to themselves, he… 2502 words
  121. 121 This desperate attempt of the victim, far from exasperating Thénardier, had calmed him. 2507 words
  122. 122 “Mademoiselle Fabre, at M. 2505 words
  123. 123 At his feet, on the table, a bright ray of light from the full moon… 2571 words
  124. 124 This remarkable epoch is decidedly circumscribed and is beginning to… 2510 words
  125. 125 All this explains why the early revolutions contented themselves with… 2593 words
  126. 126 The trace left in him by the Revolution was prodigious. 2515 words
  127. 127 Solve only the first of the two problems; you will be Venice, you will be England. 2515 words
  128. 128 [Illustration]… 2707 words
  129. 129 “That arranges everything,” said Courfeyrac. 2554 words
  130. 130 One sweet idea alone was left to him, that she had loved him, that… 2511 words
  131. 131 This miscarriage had its consequences, however, which were perfectly… 2516 words
  132. 132 “So much the worse, I don’t care. 2669 words
  133. 133 When Toussaint came, he had said to her: “It is the young lady who is… 2521 words
  134. 134 Nothing supplies the place of this instinct. 2574 words
  135. 135 With faith in her beauty, the whole feminine soul expanded within her. 2509 words
  136. 136 Nonetheless did he bear in his heart a mournful tremor. 2575 words
  137. 137 As it drew nearer, it assumed a form, and was outlined behind the… 2718 words
  138. 138 BOOK FOURTH—SUCCOR FROM BELOW MAY TURN OUT TO BE SUCCOR FROM ON HIGH… 3652 words
  139. 139 And the old man, releasing Montparnasse, put his purse in the… 2513 words
  140. 140 “Has my father returned yet?” “Not yet, Mademoiselle.” [We have… 2611 words
  141. 141 She imbued herself thoroughly with every word of the manuscript: “Oh… 2549 words
  142. 142 The two little creatures who had fallen to Magnon had no reason to complain of their lot. 2514 words
  143. 143 “Hullo, is that you, Gavroche?” said some one. 2831 words
  144. 144 The hole through which Gavroche had entered was a breach which was… 2560 words
  145. 145 The hours of the night fled away. 2549 words
  146. 146 It was the crest of this ruin that Thénardier had succeeded in… 2504 words
  147. 147 “Now, whom are we to eat?” It is useless to explain the sense of this… 2511 words
  148. 148 When one listens, by the side of honest men, at the portals of… 2531 words
  149. 149 The most terrible thing for the prisoner within the four walls in… 2575 words
  150. 150 The revolutionary sense is a moral sense. 2560 words
  151. 151 What took place between these two beings? 2500 words
  152. 152 Old Toussaint, who retired early, thought of nothing but her sleep… 2606 words
  153. 153 She advanced a pace nearer the ruffians, she was terrible, she burst… 2502 words
  154. 154 “Cosette, I have never given my word of honor to any one, because my… 2514 words
  155. 155 “Sir, have pity on me.” These words touched M. 2502 words
  156. 156 The old man remained for several minutes motionless and as though… 2505 words
  157. 157 From that moment forth, Mother Plutarque saw a sombre veil, which was… 2646 words
  158. 158 Hence it results that if insurrection in given cases may be, as… 2588 words
  159. 159 The Government, on its side, was taking observations. 2565 words
  160. 160 The conflict had been begun on a gigantic scale at all points; and… 2532 words
  161. 161 “All goes well. I suffer a great deal in my left paw, I’m all broken… 2524 words
  162. 162 “M. Mabeuf, go to your home.” “Why?” “There’s going to be a row.”… 2547 words
  163. 163 Elle étonne à dix pas, elle épouvente à deux, Une verrue habite en… 2502 words
  164. 164 Grantaire was attacking his second bottle and, possibly, his second… 2503 words
  165. 165 “Yes, my good Monsieur Courfeyrac. 2518 words
  166. 166 Et ces grands malheurs qui nous faisaient rire! 2543 words
  167. 167 An explosion was heard, the assassin fell to the pavement face downwards. 2569 words
  168. 168 As it often happens, nature seemed to have fallen into accord with… 2618 words
  169. 169 BOOK FOURTEENTH—THE GRANDEURS OF DESPAIR [Illustration: The Grandeurs… 2523 words
  170. 170 They already covered more than two-thirds of the barrier, but they… 2501 words
  171. 171 And turning to Marius:— “My brother is here. 2553 words
  172. 172 As for Cosette, she had had Toussaint take some broth to her room… 2524 words
  173. 173 Bareheaded, he sat upon the stone post at the door of his house. 2501 words
  174. 174 The Auvergnat was snoring. 2695 words
  175. 175 As we have said previously, it attacked in the name of the revolution—what? 2663 words
  176. 176 Bossuet, who towered above the interlocutors from the summit of a… 2522 words
  177. 177 “Make haste,” said Courfeyrac, “in another quarter of an hour it will… 2503 words
  178. 178 Enjolras himself offered him a glass of water, and, as Javert was… 2521 words
  179. 179 The charge had been aimed at the cut in the redoubt, and had there… 2570 words
  180. 180 At every discharge by platoons, Gavroche puffed out his cheek with… 2511 words
  181. 181 The artillery-men rapidly performed their manœuvres in force and… 2632 words
  182. 182 These are dark radiances. 2523 words
  183. 183 Combeferre, wearing an apron, was dressing the wounds: Bossuet and… 2505 words
  184. 184 For, since the preceding evening, the two rows of houses in the Rue… 2542 words
  185. 185 The modern ideal has its type in art, and its means is science. 2587 words
  186. 186 A final assault was there attempted, and this assault succeeded. 2604 words
  187. 187 Jean Valjean, in the thick cloud of the combat, did not appear to see… 2535 words
  188. 188 Sinks and sewers played a great part in the Middle Ages, in the Lower… 2563 words
  189. 189 Bruneseau, in his exploration, proceeded down hill. 2570 words
  190. 190 Thirty years ago, at the epoch of the insurrection of the 5th and 6th… 2562 words
  191. 191 He advanced with anxiety, but with calmness, seeing nothing, knowing… 2504 words
  192. 192 His position was visibly becoming critical. 2559 words
  193. 193 He shouts, he waves his hat, or his handkerchief, the sand… 2540 words
  194. 194 A damned soul, who, in the midst of the furnace, should suddenly… 2503 words
  195. 195 Jean Valjean found himself in the open air. 2505 words
  196. 196 “It comes to seven hours and a quarter,” replied the man, “and my… 2596 words
  197. 197 At that moment, Marius slowly opened his eyes, and his glance, still… 2567 words
  198. 198 But how was he to set about handing in his resignation to God? 2553 words
  199. 199 As for the lively emotion which he had experienced a short time after… 2634 words
  200. 200 As almost always happens in such cases, Marius skirmished before… 2754 words
  201. 201 The grandfather executed a pirouette on his eighty-year-old heels… 3549 words
  202. 202 “Triton trottait devant, et tirait de sa conque Des sons si… 2508 words
  203. 203 No report of any agent had been received there upon this matter… 2652 words
  204. 204 A laughter that is too cynical to be frank. 2545 words
  205. 205 In the antechamber, three violins and a flute softly played quartettes by Haydn. 2531 words
  206. 206 This road, through which Cosette had passed, excluded for him all… 2504 words
  207. 207 “_Dame_, sir,” remarked Basque, “we all woke up late.” “Is your… 3359 words
  208. 208 Jean Valjean paused. Marius listened. Such chains of ideas and of… 2563 words
  209. 209 His grief was not audible, but from the quivering of his shoulders it… 2572 words
  210. 210 What was that cesspool which had venerated that innocence to such a… 2503 words
  211. 211 He loosed her hands. “You no longer need a father, you have a… 2505 words
  212. 212 On the following day there was a fire. 2510 words
  213. 213 “I am not pleased with you,” replied the portress. 2643 words
  214. 214 “A coat of black cloth, trowsers of black wool, a silk waistcoat… 2590 words
  215. 215 He commenced with this. Thénardier had caused the “honest rustler” to… 2510 words
  216. 216 “Waterloo!” growled Thénardier, pocketing the five hundred francs along with the thousand. 2654 words
  217. 217 A noise became audible at the door. 2551 words
  218. 218 Like us, you have prejudices, superstitions, tyrannies, fanaticisms… 958 words