Page 1163 - les-miserables

CHAPTER III

MARIUS GROWN UP

At this epoch, Marius was twenty years of age. It was three
years since he had left his grandfather. Both parties had re-
mained on the same terms, without attempting to approach
each other, and without seeking to see each other. Besides,
what was the use of seeing each other? Marius was the brass
vase, while Father Gillenormand was the iron pot.
We admit that Marius was mistaken as to his grandfa-
ther’s heart. He had imagined that M. Gillenormand had
never loved him, and that that crusty, harsh, and smiling old
fellow who cursed, shouted, and stormed and brandished
his cane, cherished for him, at the most, only that affection,
which is at once slight and severe, of the dotards of comedy.
Marius was in error. There are fathers who do not love their
children; there exists no grandfather who does not adore
his grandson. At bottom, as we have said, M. Gillenormand
idolized Marius. He idolized him after his own fashion, with
an accompaniment of snappishness and boxes on the ear;
but, this child once gone, he felt a black void in his heart;
he would allow no one to mention the child to him, and all
the while secretly regretted that he was so well obeyed. At

1163