Reverie does not prevent a cab from passing by, nor the dreamer from taking note of that cab. Laigle de Meaux, whose eyes were straying about in a sort of diffuse lounging, perceived, athwart his somnambulism, a two-wheeled vehicle proceeding through the place, at a foot pace and apparently in indecision. For whom was this cabriolet? Why was it driving at a walk? Laigle took a survey. In it, beside the coachman, sat a young man, and in front of the young man lay a rather bulky handbag. The bag displayed to passersby the following name inscribed in large black letters on a card which was sewn to the stuff: Marius Pontmercy .

This name caused Laigle to change his attitude. He drew himself up and hurled this apostrophe at the young man in the cabriolet:⁠—

“Monsieur Marius Pontmercy!”

The cabriolet thus addressed came to a halt.