Les Miserables - Part VIII, Marius and Cosette

Yesterday at lunch I got to a very exciting part, which is great when you're reading a very fat book but not so great if you have a limited time for lunch and have to go back to work. While Marius was peering into the Thenardiers' room, pistol in hand, watching and waiting, I just wanted to yell at him, "Do something!" I understood that he was thrown into great turmoil when he found out that the man robbing the father of his mysterious love was the Thenardier his father had influence him to revere, but he was just STANDING THERE, and I wanted him to DO SOMETHING. Of course, thanks to Javert, it all worked out without him, but it was a bit agonizing to be witnessing the goings-on from the point of view of someone who was just watching. Which I guess could be kinda funny because as the reader, I'm always just watching. Maybe I feel there should be only one passive person, and that person is me. All the characters I'm reading about must be doing something (sorry for the repetition, especially since it's not like I do many somethings).

In the chapters on Louis-Philippe, Hugo offers a detailed character description of this, er, king? I think he was a king, although I guess he didn't last very long as one. Hugo refers to some years and people and events as if they are common knowledge, which of course they would have been to his contemporary readers (and also, I'm just ignorant when it comes to French history - most history). Anyway, Louis-Philippe. I'm not observant when it comes to people, so I found the character study very interesting. How do people figure out all that stuff about other people?

Today on the bus I sat down, pulled out my book, and the guy next to me, who I in my judgmentalism would not have guessed to be a reader, turned to me and said something like, "Great book!" He asked me who my favorite character was. I had to think, and he suggested "Valjean? Marius? Cosette?" I said I hadn't gotten to really know Cosette yet. When I got off the bus, we smiled and said goodbye to each other. It's great how a book can form a connection between two strangers!

So I have now gotten to know Cosette somewhat. What an interesting upbringing she's had. I'm really looking forward to her first interaction (that includes actual talking) with Marius. All they've done is exchange speaking glances and walk past each other. What in the world are they going to say?

I really liked the end of the chapter "Foliis ac frondibus." Hugo overflows with the big ideas. Here are some bits from p. 886, although you need to read the whole thing to comprehend the vastness:
"Nothing is really small; anyone open to the deep penetration of nature knows this."
"Algebra applies to the clouds; the radiance of the star benefits the rose"
"Elements and principles are mingled, combined, espoused, multiplied one by another, to the point that the material world and the moral world are brought into the same light."