Marius ascended the stairs of the hovel with slow steps; at the moment when he was about to re-enter his cell, he caught sight of the elder Jondrette girl following him through the corridor. The very sight of this girl was odious to him; it was she who had his five francs, it was too late to demand them back, the cab was no longer there,the fiacre was far away. Moreover, she would not have given them back.As for questioning her about the residence of the persons who had just been there, that was useless; it was evident that she did not know, since the letter signed Fabantou had been addressed "to the benevolent gentleman of the church ofnot grasp, and as though a prey to vertigo. All that had taken place since the morning,the appearance of the angel, her disappearance, what that creature had just said to him, a gleam of hope floating in an immense despair,-- this was what filled his brain confusedly.　

All at once he was violently aroused from his revery.　

He heard the shrill, hard voice of Jondrette utter these words,which were fraught with a strange interest for him:--　

"I tell you that I am sure of it, and that I recognized him."

Of whom was Jondrette speaking? Whom had he recognized? M. Leblanc? The father of "his Ursule"? What! Did Jondrette know him? Was Marius about to obtain in this abrupt and unexpected fashion all the information without which his life was so dark to him? Was he about to learn at last who it was that he loved, t?郤TIFY">She raised her dull eyes, in which a sort of gleam seemed to flicker vaguely, and said:--

"Monsieur Marius, you look sad. What is the matter with you?"

"With me!" said Marius.

"Yes, you."

"There is nothing the matter with me."

"Yes, there is!"

"No."

"I tell you there is!"

"Let me alone!"

Marius gave the door another push, but she retained her hold on it.

"Stop," said she, "you are in the wrong. Although you are not rich, you were kind this morning. Be so again now. You gave me something to eat, now tell me what ails you. You are grieved, that is plain. I do not want you to be grieved.What can be done for it? Can I be of any service? Employ me.I do not ask for your secrets, you need not tell them to me,but I may be of use, nevertheless. I may be able to help you,since I help my father. When it is necessary to carry letters,to go to houses, to inquire from door to door, to find out an address,to follow any one, I am of service. Well, you may assuredly tell me what is the matter with you, and I will go and speak to the persons;sometimes it is enough if some one speaks to the persons, that suffices to let them understand matters, and everything comes right. Make use of me."

An idea flashe............