house, spied, lurked, and, a few days later, brought to Magnon, who delivers in the Rue Clocheperce, a biscuit, which Magnon transmitted to Babet''s mistress in the Salpetriere. A biscuit, in the shady symbolism of prisons, signifies:
Nothing to be done.
So that in less than a week from that time, as Brujon and Babet met in the circle of La Force, the one on his way to the examination, the other on his way from it:--
"Well?" asked Brujon, "the Rue P.?"
"Biscuit," replied Babet.
Thus did the foetus of crime engendered by Brujon in La Force miscarry.
This miscarriage had its consequences, however, which were perfectly distinct from Brujon''s programme.
The reader will see what they were.
Often when we think we are knotting one thread, we are tying quite another.
BOOK SECOND.--EPONINE
CHAPTER III
APPARITION TO FATHER MABEUF
Marius no longer went to see any one, but he sometimes encountered Father Mabeuf by chance.
While Marius was slowly descending those melancholy steps which may be called the cellar stairs, and which lead to places without light, where the happy can be heard walking overhead, M. Mabeuf was descending on his side.
The Flora of Cauteretz no longer sold at all.
The experiments on indigo had not been successful in the little garden of Austerlitz, which had a bad exposure.