Les Misérables · Chapter
IV: An Apparition to Marius explained
Marius, distracted by his love for the unknown young lady, neglects his work and wanders daily to the Lark's meadow.
What happens
Marius, distracted by his love for the unknown young lady, neglects his work and wanders daily to the Lark's meadow. One morning, Éponine finds him on the boulevard and reveals she has been imprisoned for a fortnight. She offers to take him to the address of the young lady he seeks, and Marius makes her swear not to tell her father.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Compassion
Marius's obsessive love for the unknown young lady drives his actions, while Éponine's selfless act of leading him to her address, despite her own suffering, demonstrates a form of compassion.
Suffering and Sacrifice
Éponine's ragged appearance, imprisonment, and her willingness to help Marius despite her own misery highlight themes of suffering and sacrifice.
Characters to notice
- Marius Pontmercy
Marius is lost in dreams of his beloved, unable to work, and wanders the boulevard. He is desperate to find the young lady and eagerly accepts Éponine's help.
- Éponine
Éponine appears ragged and barefoot, having been in prison for a fortnight. She finds Marius and offers to lead him to the address of the young lady, though she refuses his money and shows a mix of bitterness and devotion.
- Courfeyrac
Marius borrowed a hundred-sou piece from Courfeyrac for Thénardier, though Courfeyrac does not appear directly in this chapter.
- M. Mabeuf
Mabeuf is mentioned as having told Éponine that Marius could be found on the boulevard, and he calls Marius 'Baron Marius.'
- Thénardier
Thénardier is mentioned as the father of Éponine, and Marius fears he might learn the address. Éponine assures Marius that her father is in close confinement.
Key passages
“How I have hunted for you! If you only knew! Do you know? I have been in the jug. A fortnight! They let me out! seeing that there was nothing against me, and that, moreover, I had not reached years of discretion. I lack two months of it.”
Éponine tells Marius she has been searching for him for six weeks and reveals she was imprisoned for two weeks but released due to lack of evidence and her age.
Éponine explains her recent imprisonment and her persistent search for Marius.
“I have the address. The address that you asked me to get! Of that young lady.”
Éponine tells Marius she has found the address of the young lady he is seeking.
Éponine reveals she has obtained the address of Marius's beloved.
“Swear to me that you will not give this address to your father!”
Marius makes Éponine promise not to tell her father the address of the young lady.
Marius extracts a promise from Éponine to keep the address secret from Thénardier.