Offers of Service from Misery to Wretchedness

Marius ascended the stairs of the hovel with slow steps; at the moment when he was about to reenter 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 of Saint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas.”

Marius entered his room and pushed the door to after him.

It did not close; he turned round and beheld a hand which held the door half open.

“What is it?” he asked, “who is there?”