Page 212 - les-miserables

Favourite having been in England, was admired by Dahl-
ia and Zephine. She had had an establishment of her own
very early in life. Her father was an old unmarried profes-
sor of mathematics, a brutal man and a braggart, who went
out to give lessons in spite of his age. This professor, when
he was a young man, had one day seen a chambermaid’s
gown catch on a fender; he had fallen in love in consequence
of this accident. The result had been Favourite. She met her
father from time to time, and he bowed to her. One morn-
ing an old woman with the air of a devotee, had entered
her apartments, and had said to her, ‘You do not know me,
Mamemoiselle?’ ‘No.’ ‘I am your mother.’ Then the old wom-
an opened the sideboard, and ate and drank, had a mattress
which she owned brought in, and installed herself. This
cross and pious old mother never spoke to Favourite, re-
mained hours without uttering a word, breakfasted, dined,
and supped for four, and went down to the porter’s quarters
for company, where she spoke ill of her daughter.
It was having rosy nails that were too pretty which had
drawn Dahlia to Listolier, to others perhaps, to idleness.
How could she make such nails work? She who wishes to
remain virtuous must not have pity on her hands. As for
Zephine, she had conquered Fameuil by her roguish and ca-
ressing little way of saying ‘Yes, sir.’
The young men were comrades; the young girls were
friends. Such loves are always accompanied by such friend-
ships.
Goodness and philosophy are two distinct things; the
proof of this is that, after making all due allowances for

212 Les Miserables