Fantine mingled in the group； and began to laugh with the rest at the harangue； which contained slang for the populace and jargon for respectable people。
The tooth…puller espied the lovely； laughing girl； and suddenly exclaimed：
〃You have beautiful teeth； you girl there； who are laughing； if you want to sell me your palettes； I will give you a gold napoleon apiece for them。〃
〃What are my palettes？〃 asked Fantine。
〃The palettes；〃 replied the dental professor； 〃are the front teeth； the two upper ones。〃
〃How horrible！〃 exclaimed Fantine。
〃Two napoleons！〃 grumbled a toothless old woman who was present。 〃Here's a lucky girl！〃
Fantine fled and stopped her ears that she might not hear the hoarse voice of the man shouting to her：
〃Reflect； my beauty！ two napoleons； they may prove of service。
If your heart bids you； e this evening to the inn of the Tillac d'Argent； you will find me there。〃
Fantine returned home。
She was furious； and related the occurrence to her good neighbor Marguerite：
〃Can you understand such a thing？ Is he not an abominable man？
How can they allow such people to go about the country！
Pull out my two front teeth！
Why； I should be horrible！ My hair will grow again； but my teeth！
Ah！ what a monster of a man！ I should prefer to throw myself head first on the pavement from the fifth story！
He told me that he should be at the Tillac d'Argent this evening。〃
〃And what did he offer？〃 asked Marguerite。
〃Two napoleons。〃
〃That makes forty francs。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Fantine； 〃that makes forty francs。〃
She remained thoughtful； and began her work。
At the expiration of a quarter of an hour she left her sewing and went to read the Thenardiers' letter once more on the staircase。
On her return； she said to Marguerite； who was at work beside her：
〃What is a miliary fever？
Do you know？〃
〃Yes；〃 answered the old spinster； 〃it is a disease。〃
〃Does it require many drugs？〃
〃Oh！ terrible drugs。〃
〃How does one get it？〃
〃It is a malady that one gets without knowing how。〃
〃Then it attacks children？〃
〃Children in particular。〃
〃Do people die of it？〃
〃They may；〃 said Marguerite。
Fantine left the room and went to read her letter once more on the staircase。
That evening she went out； and was seen to turn her steps in the direction of the Rue de Paris； where the inns are situated。
The next morning； when Marguerite entered Fantine's room before daylight；for they always worked together； and in this manner used only one candle for the two；she found Fantine seated on her bed； pale and frozen。
She had not lain down。 Her cap had fallen on her knees。
Her candle had burned all night； and was almost entirely consumed。
Marguerite halted on the threshold； petrified at this tremendous wastefulness； and exclaimed：
〃Lord！ the candle is all burned out！
Something has happened。〃
Then she looked at Fantine； who turned toward her her head bereft of its hair。
Fantine had grown ten years older since the preceding night。
〃Jesus！〃 said Marguerite； 〃what is the matter with you； Fantine？〃
〃Nothing；〃 replied Fantine。
〃Quite the contrary。
My child will not die of that frightful malady； for lack of succor。
I am content。〃
So saying； she pointed out to the spinster two napoleons which were glittering on the table。
〃Ah！
Jesus God！〃 cried Marguerite。
〃Why； it is a fortune！ Where did you get those louis d'or？〃
〃I got them；〃 replied Fantine。
At the same time she smiled。
The candle illuminated her countenance。 It was a bloody smile。
A reddish saliva soiled the corners of her lips； and she had a black hole in her mouth。
The two teeth had been extracted。
She sent the forty francs to Montfermeil。
After all it was a ruse of the Thenardiers to obtain money。 Cosette was not ill。
Fantine threw her mirror out of the window。
She had long since quitted her cell on the second floor for an attic with only a latch to fasten it； next the roof； one of those attics whose extremity forms an angle with the floor； and knocks you on the head every instant。 The poor occupant can reach the end of his chamber as he can the end of his destiny； only by bending over more and more。
She had no longer a bed； a rag which she called her coverlet； a mattress on the floor； and a seatless chair still remained。 A little rosebush which she had； had dried up； forgotten； in one corner。 In the other corner was a butter…pot to hold water； which froze in winter； and in which the various levels of the water remained long marked by these circles of ice。
She had lost her shame； she lost her coquetry。
A final sign。
She went out； with dirty caps。 Whether from lack of time or from indifference； she no longer mended her linen。
As the heels wore out； she dragged her stockings down into her shoes。
This was evident from the perpendicular wrinkles。 She patched her bodice； which was old and worn out； with scraps of calico which tore at the slightest movement。
The people to whom she was indebted made 〃scenes〃 and gave her no peace。 She found them in the street； she found them again on her staircase。 She passed many a night weeping and thinking。
Her eyes were very bright； and she felt a steady pain in her shoulder towards the top of the left shoulder…blade。 She coughed a great deal。 She deeply hated Father Madeleine； but made no plaint。
She sewed seventeen hours a day； but a contractor for the work of prisons； who made the prisoners work at a discount； suddenly made prices fall； which reduced the daily earnings of working…women to nine sous。 Seventeen hours of toil； and nine sous a day！
Her creditors were more pitiless than ever。
The second…hand dealer； who had taken back nearly all his furniture； said to her incessantly； 〃When will you pay me； you hussy？〃
What did they want of her； good God！
She felt that she was being hunted； and something of the wild beast developed in her。 About the same time； Thenardier wrote to her that he had waited with decidedly too much amiability and that he must have a hundred francs at once； otherwise he would turn little Cosette out of doors； convalescent as she was from her heavy illness； into the cold and the streets； and that she might do what she liked with herself； and die if she chose。
〃A hundred francs；〃 thought Fantine。 〃But in what trade can one earn a hundred sous a day？〃
〃e！〃 said she； 〃let us sell what is left。〃
The unfortunate girl became a woman of the town。
BOOK FIFTH。THE DESCENT
CHAPTER XI
CHRISTUS NOS LIBERAVIT
What is this history of Fantine？
It is society purchasing a slave。
From whom？
From misery。
From hunger； cold； isolation； destitution。
A dolorous bargain。 A soul for a morsel of bread。
Misery offers； society accepts。
The sacred law of Jesus Christ governs our civilization； but it does not； as yet； permeate it； it is said that slavery has disappeared from European civilization。
This is a mistake。
It still exists； but it weighs only upon the woman； and it is called prostitution。
It weighs upon the woman； that is to say； upon grace； weakness； beauty； maternity。
This is not one of the least of man's disgraces。
At the point in this melancholy drama which we have now reached； nothing is left to Fantine of that which she had formerly been。
She has bee marble in being mire。
Whoever touches her feels cold。 She passes； she endures you； she ignores you； she is the severe and dishonored figure。
Life and the social order have said their last word for her。
All has happened to her that will happen to her。 She has felt everything； borne everything； experienced everything； suffered everything； lost everything； mourned everything。 She is resigned； with that resignation which resembles indifference； as death resembles sleep。
She no longer avoids anything。 Let all the clouds fall upon her； and all the ocean sweep over her！ What matters it to her？
She is a sponge that is soaked。
At least； she believes it to be so； but it is an error to imagine that fate can be exhausted； and that one has reached the bottom of anything whatever。
Alas！
What are all these fates； driven on pell…mell？ Whither are they going？
Why are they thus？
He who knows that sees the whole of the shadow。
He is alone。
His name is God。
BOOK FIFTH。THE DESCENT
CHAPTER XII
M。 BAMATABOIS'S INACTIVITY
There is in all small towns； and there was at M。 sur M。 in particular； a class of young men who nibble away an ine of fifteen hundred francs with the same air with which their prototypes devour two hundred thousand francs a year in Paris。
These are beings of the great neuter species：
impotent men； parasites； cyphers； who have a little land； a little folly； a little wit； who would be rustics in a drawing…room； and who think themselves gentlemen in the dram…shop； who say； 〃My fields； my peasants； my woods〃； who hiss actresses at the theatre to prove that they are persons of taste； quarrel with the officers of the garrison to prove that they are men of war； hunt； smoke； yawn； drink； smell of tobacco； play billiards； stare at travellers as they descend from the diligence； live at the cafe； dine at the inn； have a dog which eats the bones under the table； and a mistress who eats the dishes on the table； who stick at a sou； exaggerate the fashions； admire tragedy； despise women； wear out their old boots； copy London through Paris； and Paris through the medium of Pont…A…Mousson； grow old as dullards； never work； serve no use； and do no great harm。
M。 Felix Tholomyes； had he remained in his own province and never beheld Paris； would have been one of these men。
If they were richer； one would say； 〃They are dandies；〃 if they were poorer； one would say； 〃They are idlers。〃
They are simply men without employment。
Among these unemployed there are bores； the bored； dreamers； and some knaves。
At that period a dandy was posed of a tall collar； a big cravat； a watch with trinkets； three vests of different c