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Les Misérables

Les Misérables

by Victor Hugo · 1862

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  • 365chapters
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About this book

Jean Valjean stole a loaf of bread and paid nineteen years for it. His struggle to become a good man, hunted by Inspector Javert, is one of literature's great journeys.

Contents

  1. Book First—A Just Man — Chapter I—M. MyrielFree
  2. Chapter II—M. Myriel Becomes M. WelcomeFree
  3. Chapter III—A Hard Bishopric For A Good Bishop
  4. Chapter IV—Works Corresponding To Words
  5. Chapter V—Monseigneur Bienvenu Made His Cassocks Last Too Long
  6. Chapter VI—Who Guarded His House For Him
  7. Chapter VII—Cravatte
  8. Chapter VIII—Philosophy After Drinking
  9. Chapter IX—The Brother As Depicted By The Sister
  10. Chapter X—The Bishop In The Presence Of An Unknown Light
  11. Chapter XI—A Restriction
  12. Chapter XII—The Solitude Of Monseigneur Welcome
  13. Chapter XIII—What He Believed
  14. Chapter XIV—What He Thought
  15. Book Second—The Fall — Chapter I—The Evening Of A Day Of Walking
  16. Chapter II—Prudence Counselled To Wisdom.
  17. Chapter III—The Heroism Of Passive Obedience.
  18. Chapter IV—Details Concerning The Cheese-Dairies Of Pontarlier.
  19. Chapter V—Tranquillity
  20. Chapter VI—Jean Valjean
  21. Chapter VII—The Interior Of Despair
  22. Chapter VIII—Billows And Shadows
  23. Chapter IX—New Troubles
  24. Chapter X—The Man Aroused
  25. Chapter XI—What He Does
  26. Chapter XII—The Bishop Works
  27. Chapter XIII—Little Gervais
  28. Book Third—In The Year 1817 — Chapter I—The Year 1817
  29. Chapter II—A Double Quartette
  30. Chapter III—Four And Four
  31. Chapter IV—Tholomyès Is So Merry That He Sings A Spanish Ditty
  32. Chapter V—At Bombarda’s
  33. Chapter VI—A Chapter In Which They Adore Each Other
  34. Chapter VII—The Wisdom Of Tholomyès
  35. Chapter VIII—The Death Of A Horse
  36. Chapter IX—A Merry End To Mirth
  37. Book Fourth—To Confide Is Sometimes To Deliver Into A Person’s Power — Chapter I—One Mother Meets Another Mother
  38. Chapter II—First Sketch Of Two Unprepossessing Figures
  39. Chapter III—The Lark
  40. Book Fifth—The Descent — Chapter I—The History Of A Progress In Black Glass Trinkets
  41. Chapter II—Madeleine
  42. Chapter III—Sums Deposited With Laffitte
  43. Chapter IV—M. Madeleine In Mourning
  44. Chapter V—Vague Flashes On The Horizon
  45. Chapter VI—Father Fauchelevent
  46. Chapter VII—Fauchelevent Becomes A Gardener In Paris
  47. Chapter VIII—Madame Victurnien Expends Thirty Francs On Morality
  48. Chapter IX—Madame Victurnien’s Success
  49. Chapter X—Result Of The Success
  50. Chapter XI—Christus Nos Liberavit
  51. Chapter XII—M. Bamatabois’s Inactivity
  52. Chapter XIII—The Solution Of Some Questions Connected With The
  53. Book Sixth—Javert — Chapter I—The Beginning Of Repose
  54. Chapter II—How Jean May Become Champ
  55. Book Seventh—The Champmathieu Affair — Chapter I—Sister Simplice
  56. Chapter II—The Perspicacity Of Master Scaufflaire
  57. Chapter III—A Tempest In A Skull
  58. Chapter IV—Forms Assumed By Suffering During Sleep
  59. Chapter V—Hindrances
  60. Chapter VI—Sister Simplice Put To The Proof
  61. Chapter VII—The Traveller On His Arrival Takes Precautions For
  62. Chapter VIII—An Entrance By Favor
  63. Chapter IX—A Place Where Convictions Are In Process Of Formation
  64. Chapter X—The System Of Denials
  65. Chapter XI—Champmathieu More And More Astonished
  66. Book Eighth—A Counter-Blow — Chapter I—In What Mirror M. Madeleine Contemplates His Hair
  67. Chapter II—Fantine Happy
  68. Chapter III—Javert Satisfied
  69. Chapter IV—Authority Reasserts Its Rights
  70. Chapter V—A Suitable Tomb
  71. Book First—Waterloo — Chapter I—What Is Met With On The Way From Nivelles
  72. Chapter II—Hougomont
  73. Chapter III—The Eighteenth Of June, 1815
  74. Chapter IV—A
  75. Chapter V—The Quid Obscurum Of Battles
  76. Chapter VI—Four O’clock In The Afternoon
  77. Chapter VII—Napoleon In A Good Humor
  78. Chapter VIII—The Emperor Puts A Question To The Guide Lacoste
  79. Chapter IX—The Unexpected
  80. Chapter X—The Plateau Of Mont-Saint-Jean
  81. Chapter XI—A Bad Guide To Napoleon; A Good Guide To Bülow
  82. Chapter XII—The Guard
  83. Chapter XIII—The Catastrophe
  84. Chapter XIV—The Last Square
  85. Chapter XV—Cambronne
  86. Chapter XVI—Quot Libras In Duce?
  87. Chapter XVII—Is Waterloo To Be Considered Good?
  88. Chapter XVIII—A Recrudescence Of Divine Right
  89. Chapter XIX—The Battle-Field At Night
  90. Book Second—The Ship Orion — Chapter I—Number 24,601 Becomes Number 9,430
  91. Chapter II—In Which The Reader Will Peruse Two Verses, Which Are Of The
  92. Chapter III—The Ankle-Chain Must Have Undergone A Certain Preparatory
  93. Book Third—Accomplishment Of The Promise Made To The Dead Woman — Chapter I—The Water Question At Montfermeil
  94. Chapter II—Two Complete Portraits
  95. Chapter III—Men Must Have Wine, And Horses Must Have Water
  96. Chapter IV—Entrance On The Scene Of A Doll
  97. Chapter V—The Little One All Alone
  98. Chapter VI—Which Possibly Proves Boulatruelle’s Intelligence
  99. Chapter VII—Cosette Side By Side With The Stranger In The Dark
  100. Chapter VIII—The Unpleasantness Of Receiving Into One’s House A Poor
  101. Chapter IX— Thénardier And His Manœuvres
  102. Chapter X—He Who Seeks To Better Himself May Render His Situation Worse
  103. Chapter XI—Number 9,430 Reappears, And Cosette Wins It In The Lottery
  104. Book Fourth—The Gorbeau Hovel — Chapter I—Master Gorbeau
  105. Chapter II—A Nest For Owl And A Warbler
  106. Chapter III—Two Misfortunes Make One Piece Of Good Fortune
  107. Chapter IV—The Remarks Of The Principal Tenant
  108. Chapter V—A Five-Franc Piece Falls On The Ground And Produces A Tumult
  109. Book Fifth—For A Black Hunt, A Mute Pack — Chapter I—The Zigzags Of Strategy
  110. Chapter II—It Is Lucky That The Pont D’austerlitz Bears Carriages
  111. Chapter III—To Wit, The Plan Of Paris In 1727
  112. Chapter IV—The Gropings Of Flight
  113. Chapter V—Which Would Be Impossible With Gas Lanterns
  114. Chapter VI—The Beginning Of An Enigma
  115. Chapter VII—Continuation Of The Enigma
  116. Chapter VIII—The Enigma Becomes Doubly Mysterious
  117. Chapter IX—The Man With The Bell
  118. Chapter X—Which Explains How Javert Got On The Scent
  119. Book Sixth—Le Petit-Picpus — Chapter I—Number 62 Rue Petit-Picpus
  120. Chapter II—The Obedience Of Martin Verga
  121. Chapter III—Austerities
  122. Chapter IV—Gayeties
  123. Chapter V—Distractions
  124. Chapter VI—The Little Convent
  125. Chapter VII—Some Silhouettes Of This Darkness
  126. Chapter VIII—Post Corda Lapides
  127. Chapter IX—A Century Under A Guimpe
  128. Chapter X—Origin Of The Perpetual Adoration
  129. Chapter XI—End Of The Petit-Picpus
  130. Book Seventh—Parenthesis — Chapter I—The Convent As An Abstract Idea
  131. Chapter II—The Convent As An Historical Fact
  132. Chapter III—On What Conditions One Can Respect The Past
  133. Chapter IV—The Convent From The Point Of View Of Principles
  134. Chapter V—Prayer
  135. Chapter VI—The Absolute Goodness Of Prayer
  136. Chapter VII—Precautions To Be Observed In Blame
  137. Chapter VIII—Faith, Law
  138. Book Eighth—Cemeteries Take That Which Is Committed Them — Chapter I—Which Treats Of The Manner Of Entering A Convent
  139. Chapter II—Fauchelevent In The Presence Of A Difficulty
  140. Chapter III—Mother Innocente
  141. Chapter IV—In Which Jean Valjean Has Quite The Air Of Having Read
  142. Chapter V—It Is Not Necessary To Be Drunk In Order To Be Immortal
  143. Chapter VI—Between Four Planks
  144. Chapter VII—In Which Will Be Found The Origin Of The Saying: Don’t Lose
  145. Chapter VIII—A Successful Interrogatory
  146. Chapter IX—Cloistered
  147. Book First—Paris Studied In Its Atom — Chapter I—Parvulus
  148. Chapter II—Some Of His Particular Characteristics
  149. Chapter III—He Is Agreeable
  150. Chapter IV—He May Be Of Use
  151. Chapter V—His Frontiers
  152. Chapter VI—A Bit Of History
  153. Chapter VII—The Gamin Should Have His Place In The Classifications Of
  154. Chapter VIII—In Which The Reader Will Find A Charming Saying Of The
  155. Chapter IX—The Old Soul Of Gaul
  156. Chapter X—Ecce Paris, Ecce Homo
  157. Chapter XI—To Scoff, To Reign
  158. Chapter XII—The Future Latent In The People
  159. Chapter XIII—Little Gavroche
  160. Book Second—The Great Bourgeois — Chapter I—Ninety Years And Thirty-Two Teeth
  161. Chapter II—Like Master, Like House
  162. Chapter III—Luc-Esprit
  163. Chapter IV—A Centenarian Aspirant
  164. Chapter V—Basque And Nicolette
  165. Chapter VI—In Which Magnon And Her Two Children Are Seen
  166. Chapter VII—Rule: Receive No One Except In The Evening
  167. Chapter VIII—Two Do Not Make A Pair
  168. Book Third—The Grandfather And The Grandson — Chapter I—An Ancient Salon
  169. Chapter II—One Of The Red Spectres Of That Epoch
  170. Chapter III—Requiescant
  171. Chapter IV—End Of The Brigand
  172. Chapter V—The Utility Of Going To Mass, In Order To Become A
  173. Chapter VI—The Consequences Of Having Met A Warden
  174. Chapter VII—Some Petticoat
  175. Chapter VIII—Marble Against Granite
  176. Book Fourth—The Friends Of The A B C — Chapter I—A Group Which Barely Missed Becoming Historic
  177. Chapter II—Blondeau’s Funeral Oration By Bossuet
  178. Chapter III—Marius’ Astonishments
  179. Chapter IV—The Back Room Of The Café Musain
  180. Chapter V—Enlargement Of Horizon
  181. Chapter VI—Res Angusta
  182. Book Fifth—The Excellence Of Misfortune — Chapter I—Marius Indigent
  183. Chapter II—Marius Poor
  184. Chapter III—Marius Grown Up
  185. Chapter IV—M. Mabeuf
  186. Chapter V—Poverty A Good Neighbor For Misery
  187. Chapter VI—The Substitute
  188. Book Sixth—The Conjunction Of Two Stars — Chapter I—The Sobriquet: Mode Of Formation Of Family Names
  189. Chapter II—Lux Facta Est
  190. Chapter III—Effect Of The Spring
  191. Chapter IV—Beginning Of A Great Malady
  192. Chapter V—Divers Claps Of Thunder Fall On Ma’am Bougon
  193. Chapter VI—Taken Prisoner
  194. Chapter VII—Adventures Of The Letter U Delivered Over To Conjectures
  195. Chapter VIII—The Veterans Themselves Can Be Happy
  196. Chapter IX—Eclipse
  197. Book Seventh—Patron Minette — Chapter I—Mines And Miners
  198. Chapter II—The Lowest Depths
  199. Chapter III—Babet, Gueulemer, Claquesous, And Montparnasse
  200. Chapter IV—Composition Of The Troupe
  201. Book Eighth—The Wicked Poor Man — Chapter I—Marius, While Seeking A Girl In A Bonnet, Encounters A Man In
  202. Chapter II—Treasure Trove
  203. Chapter III—Quadrifrons
  204. Chapter IV—A Rose In Misery
  205. Chapter V—A Providential Peep-Hole
  206. Chapter VI—The Wild Man In His Lair
  207. Chapter VII—Strategy And Tactics
  208. Chapter VIII—The Ray Of Light In The Hovel
  209. Chapter IX—Jondrette Comes Near Weeping
  210. Chapter X—Tariff Of Licensed Cabs: Two Francs An Hour
  211. Chapter XI—Offers Of Service From Misery To Wretchedness
  212. Chapter XII—The Use Made Of M. Leblanc’s Five-Franc Piece
  213. Chapter XIII—Solus Cum Solo, In Loco Remoto, Non Cogitabuntur Orare
  214. Chapter XIV—In Which A Police Agent Bestows Two Fistfuls On A Lawyer
  215. Chapter XV—Jondrette Makes His Purchases
  216. Chapter XVI—In Which Will Be Found The Words To An English Air Which
  217. Chapter XVII—The Use Made Of Marius’ Five-Franc Piece
  218. Chapter XVIII—Marius’ Two Chairs Form A Vis-A-Vis
  219. Chapter XIX—Occupying One’s Self With Obscure Depths
  220. Chapter XX—The Trap
  221. Chapter XXI—One Should Always Begin By Arresting The Victims
  222. Chapter XXII—The Little One Who Was Crying In Volume Two
  223. Book First—A Few Pages Of History — Chapter I—Well Cut
  224. Chapter II—Badly Sewed
  225. Chapter III—Louis Philippe
  226. Chapter IV—Cracks Beneath The Foundation
  227. Chapter V—Facts Whence History Springs And Which History Ignores
  228. Chapter VI—Enjolras And His Lieutenants
  229. Book Second—Éponine — Chapter I—The Lark’s Meadow
  230. Chapter II—Embryonic Formation Of Crimes In The Incubation Of Prisons
  231. Chapter III—Apparition To Father Mabeuf
  232. Chapter IV—An Apparition To Marius
  233. Book Third—The House In The Rue Plumet — Chapter I—The House With A Secret
  234. Chapter II—Jean Valjean As A National Guard
  235. Chapter III—Foliis Ac Frondibus
  236. Chapter IV—Change Of Gate
  237. Chapter V—The Rose Perceives That It Is An Engine Of War
  238. Chapter VI—The Battle Begun
  239. Chapter VII—To One Sadness Oppose A Sadness And A Half
  240. Chapter VIII—The Chain-Gang
  241. Book Fourth—Succor From Below May Turn Out To Be Succor From On High — Chapter I—A Wound Without, Healing Within
  242. Chapter II—Mother Plutarque Finds No Difficulty In Explaining A
  243. Book Fifth—The End Of Which Does Not Resemble The Beginning — Chapter I—Solitude And The Barracks Combined
  244. Chapter II—Cosette’s Apprehensions
  245. Chapter III—Enriched With Commentaries By Toussaint
  246. Chapter IV—A Heart Beneath A Stone
  247. Chapter V—Cosette After The Letter
  248. Chapter VI—Old People Are Made To Go Out Opportunely
  249. Book Sixth—Little Gavroche — Chapter I—The Malicious Playfulness Of The Wind
  250. Chapter II—In Which Little Gavroche Extracts Profit From Napoleon The
  251. Chapter III—The Vicissitudes Of Flight
  252. Book Seventh—Slang — Chapter I—Origin
  253. Chapter II—Roots
  254. Chapter III—Slang Which Weeps And Slang Which Laughs
  255. Chapter IV—The Two Duties: To Watch And To Hope
  256. Book Eighth—Enchantments And Desolations — Chapter I—Full Light
  257. Chapter II—The Bewilderment Of Perfect Happiness
  258. Chapter III—The Beginning Of Shadow
  259. Chapter IV—A Cab Runs In English And Barks In Slang
  260. Chapter V—Things Of The Night
  261. Chapter VI—Marius Becomes Practical Once More To The Extent Of Giving
  262. Chapter VII—The Old Heart And The Young Heart In The Presence Of Each
  263. Book Ninth—Whither Are They Going? — Chapter I—Jean Valjean
  264. Chapter II—Marius
  265. Chapter III—M. Mabeuf
  266. Book Tenth—The 5Th Of June, 1832 — Chapter I—The Surface Of The Question
  267. Chapter II—The Root Of The Matter
  268. Chapter III—A Burial; An Occasion To Be Born Again
  269. Chapter IV—The Ebullitions Of Former Days
  270. Chapter V—Originality Of Paris
  271. Chapter I—Some Explanations With Regard To The Origin Of Gavroche’s
  272. Chapter II—Gavroche On The March
  273. Chapter III—Just Indignation Of A Hair-Dresser
  274. Chapter IV—The Child Is Amazed At The Old Man
  275. Chapter V—The Old Man
  276. Chapter VI—Recruits
  277. Chapter I—History Of Corinthe From Its Foundation
  278. Chapter II—Preliminary Gayeties
  279. Chapter III—Night Begins To Descend Upon Grantaire
  280. Chapter IV—An Attempt To Console The Widow Hucheloup
  281. Chapter V—Preparations
  282. Chapter VI—Waiting
  283. Chapter VII—The Man Recruited In The Rue Des Billettes
  284. Chapter VIII—Many Interrogation Points With Regard To A Certain Le
  285. Chapter I—From The Rue Plumet To The Quartier Saint-Denis
  286. Chapter II—An Owl’s View Of Paris
  287. Chapter III—The Extreme Edge
  288. Chapter I—The Flag: Act First
  289. Chapter II—The Flag: Act Second
  290. Chapter III—Gavroche Would Have Done Better To Accept Enjolras’ Carbine
  291. Chapter IV—The Barrel Of Powder
  292. Chapter V—End Of The Verses Of Jean Prouvaire
  293. Chapter VI—The Agony Of Death After The Agony Of Life
  294. Chapter VII—Gavroche As A Profound Calculator Of Distances
  295. Chapter I—A Drinker Is A Babbler
  296. Chapter II—The Street Urchin An Enemy Of Light
  297. Chapter III—While Cosette And Toussaint Are Asleep
  298. Chapter IV—Gavroche’s Excess Of Zeal
  299. Book First—The War Between Four Walls — Chapter I—The Charybdis Of The Faubourg Saint Antoine And The Scylla Of
  300. Chapter II—What Is To Be Done In The Abyss If One Does Not Converse
  301. Chapter III—Light And Shadow
  302. Chapter IV—Minus Five, Plus One
  303. Chapter V—The Horizon Which One Beholds From The Summit Of A Barricade
  304. Chapter VI—Marius Haggard, Javert Laconic
  305. Chapter VII—The Situation Becomes Aggravated
  306. Chapter VIII—The Artillery-Men Compel People To Take Them Seriously
  307. Chapter IX—Employment Of The Old Talents Of A Poacher And That
  308. Chapter X—Dawn
  309. Chapter XI—The Shot Which Misses Nothing And Kills No One
  310. Chapter XII—Disorder A Partisan Of Order
  311. Chapter XIII—Passing Gleams
  312. Chapter XIV—Wherein Will Appear The Name Of Enjolras’ Mistress
  313. Chapter XV—Gavroche Outside
  314. Chapter XVI—How From A Brother One Becomes A Father
  315. Chapter XVII—Mortuus Pater Filium Moriturum Expectat
  316. Chapter XVIII—The Vulture Become Prey
  317. Chapter XIX—Jean Valjean Takes His Revenge
  318. Chapter XX—The Dead Are In The Right And The Living Are Not In The
  319. Chapter XXI—The Heroes
  320. Chapter XXII—Foot To Foot
  321. Chapter XXIII—Orestes Fasting And Pylades Drunk
  322. Chapter XXIV—Prisoner
  323. Book Second—The Intestine Of The Leviathan — Chapter I—The Land Impoverished By The Sea
  324. Chapter II—Ancient History Of The Sewer
  325. Chapter III—Bruneseau
  326. Chapter IV
  327. Chapter V—Present Progress
  328. Chapter VI—Future Progress
  329. Book Third—Mud But The Soul — Chapter I—The Sewer And Its Surprises
  330. Chapter II—Explanation
  331. Chapter III—The “Spun” Man
  332. Chapter IV—He Also Bears His Cross
  333. Chapter V—In The Case Of Sand As In That Of Woman, There Is A Fineness
  334. Chapter VI—The Fontis
  335. Chapter VII—One Sometimes Runs Aground When One Fancies That One Is
  336. Chapter VIII—The Torn Coat-Tail
  337. Chapter IX—Marius Produces On Some One Who Is A Judge Of The Matter,
  338. Chapter X—Return Of The Son Who Was Prodigal Of His Life
  339. Chapter XI—Concussion In The Absolute
  340. Chapter XII—The Grandfather
  341. Book Fourth—Javert Derailed — Chapter I
  342. Book Fifth—Grandson And Grandfather — Chapter I—In Which The Tree With The Zinc Plaster Appears Again
  343. Chapter II—Marius, Emerging From Civil War, Makes Ready For Domestic
  344. Chapter III—Marius Attacked
  345. Chapter IV—Mademoiselle Gillenormand Ends By No Longer Thinking It A
  346. Chapter V—Deposit Your Money In A Forest Rather Than With A Notary
  347. Chapter VI—The Two Old Men Do Everything, Each One After His Own
  348. Chapter VII—The Effects Of Dreams Mingled With Happiness
  349. Chapter VIII—Two Men Impossible To Find
  350. Book Sixth—The Sleepless Night — Chapter I—The 16Th Of February, 1833
  351. Chapter II—Jean Valjean Still Wears His Arm In A Sling
  352. Chapter III—The Inseparable
  353. Chapter IV—The Immortal Liver 68
  354. Book Seventh—The Last Draught From The Cup — Chapter I—The Seventh Circle And The Eighth Heaven
  355. Chapter II—The Obscurities Which A Revelation Can Contain
  356. Book Eighth—Fading Away Of The Twilight — Chapter I—The Lower Chamber
  357. Chapter II—Another Step Backwards
  358. Chapter III—They Recall The Garden Of The Rue Plumet
  359. Chapter IV—Attraction And Extinction
  360. Book Ninth—Supreme Shadow, Supreme Dawn — Chapter I—Pity For The Unhappy, But Indulgence For The Happy
  361. Chapter II—Last Flickerings Of A Lamp Without Oil
  362. Chapter III—A Pen Is Heavy To The Man Who Lifted The Fauchelevent’s
  363. Chapter IV—A Bottle Of Ink Which Only Succeeded In Whitening
  364. Chapter V—A Night Behind Which There Is Day
  365. Chapter VI—The Grass Covers And The Rain Effaces

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