Page 2279 - les-miserables

CHAPTER VII

THE EFFECTS OF

DREAMS MINGLED

WITH HAPPINESS

The lovers saw each other every day. Cosette came with
M. Fauchelevent.—‘This is reversing things,’ said Mademoi-
selle Gillenormand, ‘to have the bride come to the house to
do the courting like this.’ But Marius’ convalescence had
caused the habit to become established, and the arm-chairs
of the Rue des Filles-du-Calvaire, better adapted to inter-
views than the straw chairs of the Rue de l’Homme Arme,
had rooted it. Marius and M. Fauchelevent saw each oth-
er, but did not address each other. It seemed as though this
had been agreed upon. Every girl needs a chaperon. Cosette
could not have come without M. Fauchelevent. In Marius’
eyes, M. Fauchelevent was the condition attached to Co-
sette. He accepted it. By dint of discussing political matters,
vaguely and without precision, from the point of view of
the general amelioration of the fate of all men, they came
to say a little more than ‘yes’ and ‘no.’ Once, on the subject

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