Cosette； so pretty and rosy on her arrival in that house； was now thin and pale。 She had an indescribably uneasy look。
〃The sly creature；〃 said the Thenardiers。
Injustice had made her peevish； and misery had made her ugly。 Nothing remained to her except her beautiful eyes； which inspired pain； because； large as they were； it seemed as though one beheld in them a still larger amount of sadness。
It was a heart…breaking thing to see this poor child； not yet six years old； shivering in the winter in her old rags of linen； full of holes； sweeping the street before daylight； with an enormous broom in her tiny red hands； and a tear in her great eyes。
She was called the Lark in the neighborhood。
The populace； who are fond of these figures of speech； had taken a fancy to bestow this name on this trembling； frightened； and shivering little creature； no bigger than a bird； who was awake every morning before any one else in the house or the village； and was always in the street or the fields before daybreak。
Only the little lark never sang。
BOOK FIFTH。THE DESCENT
CHAPTER I
THE HISTORY OF A PROGRESS IN BLACK GLASS TRINKETS
And in the meantime； what had bee of that mother who according to the people at Montfermeil； seemed to have abandoned her child？ Where was she？
What was she doing？
After leaving her little Cosette with the Thenardiers； she had continued her journey； and had reached M。 sur M。
This； it will be remembered； was in 1818。
Fantine had quitted her province ten years before。
M。 sur M。 had changed its aspect。
While Fantine had been slowly descending from wretchedness to wretchedness； her native town had prospered。
About two years previously one of those industrial facts which are the grand events of small districts had taken place。
This detail is important； and we regard it as useful to develop it at length； we should almost say； to underline it。
From time immemorial； M。 sur M。 had had for its special industry the imitation of English jet and the black glass trinkets of Germany。 This industry had always vegetated； on account of the high price of the raw material； which reacted on the manufacture。 At the moment when Fantine returned to M。 sur M。； an unheard…of transformation had taken place in the production of 〃black goods。〃 Towards the close of 1815 a man； a stranger； had established himself in the town； and had been inspired with the idea of substituting； in this manufacture； gum…lac for resin； and； for bracelets in particular； slides of sheet…iron simply laid together； for slides of soldered sheet…iron。
This very small change had effected a revolution。
This very small change had； in fact； prodigiously reduced the cost of the raw material； which had rendered it possible in the first place； to raise the price of manufacture； a benefit to the country； in the second place； to improve the workmanship； an advantage to the consumer； in the third place； to sell at a lower price； while trebling the profit； which was a benefit to the manufacturer。
Thus three results ensued from one idea。
In less than three years the inventor of this process had bee rich； which is good； and had made every one about him rich； which is better。
He was a stranger in the Department。
Of his origin； nothing was known； of the beginning of his career； very little。 It was rumored that he had e to town with very little money； a few hundred francs at the most。
It was from this slender capital； enlisted in the service of an ingenious idea； developed by method and thought； that he had drawn his own fortune； and the fortune of the whole countryside。
On his arrival at M。 sur M。 he had only the garments； the appearance； and the language of a workingman。
It appears that on the very day when he made his obscure entry into the little town of M。 sur M。； just at nightfall； on a December evening； knapsack on back and thorn club in hand； a large fire had broken out in the town…hall。 This man had rushed into the flames and saved； at the risk of his own life； two children who belonged to the captain of the gendarmerie； this is why they had forgotten to ask him for his passport。
Afterwards they had learned his name。 He was called Father Madeleine。
BOOK FIFTH。THE DESCENT
CHAPTER II
MADELEINE
He was a man about fifty years of age； who had a preoccupied air； and who was good。
That was all that could be said about him。
Thanks to the rapid progress of the industry which he had so admirably re…constructed； M。 sur M。 had bee a rather important centre of trade。
Spain； which consumes a good deal of black jet； made enormous purchases there each year。
M。 sur M。 almost rivalled London and Berlin in this branch of merce。
Father Madeleine's profits were such； that at the end of the second year he was able to erect a large factory； in which there were two vast workrooms； one for the men； and the other for women。
Any one who was hungry could present himself there； and was sure of finding employment and bread。
Father Madeleine required of the men good will； of the women pure morals； and of all； probity。
He had separated the work…rooms in order to separate the sexes； and so that the women and girls might remain discreet。
On this point he was inflexible。 It was the only thing in which he was in a manner intolerant。 He was all the more firmly set on this severity； since M。 sur M。； being a garrison town； opportunities for corruption abounded。 However； his ing had been a boon； and his presence was a godsend。 Before Father Madeleine's arrival； everything had languished in the country； now everything lived with a healthy life of toil。 A strong circulation warmed everything and penetrated everywhere。 Slack seasons and wretchedness were unknown。
There was no pocket so obscure that it had not a little money in it； no dwelling so lowly that there was not some little joy within it。
Father Madeleine gave employment to every one。
He exacted but one thing：
Be an honest man。
Be an honest woman。
As we have said； in the midst of this activity of which he was the cause and the pivot； Father Madeleine made his fortune； but a singular thing in a simple man of business； it did not seem as though that were his chief care。
He appeared to be thinking much of others； and little of himself。
In 1820 he was known to have a sum of six hundred and thirty thousand francs lodged in his name with Laffitte； but before reserving these six hundred and thirty thousand francs； he had spent more than a million for the town and its poor。
The hospital was badly endowed； he founded six beds there。
M。 sur M。 is divided into the upper and the lower town。
The lower town； in which he lived； had but one school； a miserable hovel； which was falling to ruin：
he constructed two； one for girls； the other for boys。 He allotted a salary from his own funds to the two instructors； a salary twice as large as their meagre official salary； and one day he said to some one who expressed surprise； 〃The two prime functionaries of the state are the nurse and the schoolmaster。〃 He created at his own expense an infant school； a thing then almost unknown in France； and a fund for aiding old and infirm workmen。 As his factory was a centre； a new quarter； in which there were a good many indigent families； rose rapidly around him； he established there a free dispensary。
At first； when they watched his beginnings； the good souls said； 〃He's a jolly fellow who means to get rich。〃
When they saw him enriching the country before he enriched himself； the good souls said； 〃He is an ambitious man。〃
This seemed all the more probable since the man was religious； and even practised his religion to a certain degree； a thing which was very favorably viewed at that epoch。
He went regularly to low mass every Sunday。 The local deputy； who nosed out all rivalry everywhere； soon began to grow uneasy over this religion。
This deputy had been a member of the legislative body of the Empire； and shared the religious ideas of a father of the Oratoire； known under the name of Fouche； Duc d'Otrante； whose creature and friend he had been。
He indulged in gentle raillery at God with closed doors。
But when he beheld the wealthy manufacturer Madeleine going to low mass at seven o'clock； he perceived in him a possible candidate； and resolved to outdo him； he took a Jesuit confessor； and went to high mass and to vespers。 Ambition was at that time； in the direct acceptation of the word； a race to the steeple。
The poor profited by this terror as well as the good God； for the honorable deputy also founded two beds in the hospital； which made twelve。
Nevertheless； in 1819 a rumor one morning circulated through the town to the effect that； on the representations of the prefect and in consideration of the services rendered by him to the country； Father Madeleine was to be appointed by the King； mayor of M。 sur M。 Those who had pronounced this new…er to be 〃an ambitious fellow；〃 seized with delight on this opportunity which all men desire； to exclaim； 〃There！ what did we say！〃
All M。 sur M。 was in an uproar。 The rumor was well founded。
Several days later the appointment appeared in the Moniteur。
On the following day Father Madeleine refused。
In this same year of 1819 the products of the new process invented by Madeleine figured in the industrial exhibition； when the jury made their report； the King appointed the inventor a chevalier of the Legion of Honor。
A fresh excitement in the little town。 Well； so it was the cross that he wanted！
Father Madeleine refused the cross。
Decidedly this man was an enigma。
The good souls got out of their predicament by saying； 〃After all； he is some sort of an adventurer。〃
We have seen that the country owed much to him； the poor owed him everything； he was so useful and he was so gentle that people had been obliged to honor and respect him。
His workmen； in particular； adored him； and he endured this adoration with a sort of melancholy gravity。 When he was known to be rich； 〃people in society〃 bowed to him； and he received invitations