LES MISÉRABLES
VOLUME III: MARIUS


Book Eighth: The Wicked Poor Man


X. Tariff of Licensed Cabs: Two Francs an Hour

Sirius
Brightest visible star (lowest apparent magnitude); part of the constellation Canis Major. Also known as the Dog Star.

"whistle the air of La Palisse"
A traditional tune named after the French town of La Palisse (?)

la Force
Now-defunct prison in Paris, divided into la Petite Force (for women) and la Grande Force (for men).

Fosse-aux-Lions
(Fr.) Literally, "lions' den," although I don't know the context in this case.

XI. Offers of Service from Misery to Wretchedness

XII. The Use Made of M. Leblanc's Five-Franc Piece

Croesus
Very wealthy king of Lydia from 560 to 547 B.C.


XIII. Solus Cum Solo, in Loco Remoto, Non Cogitabuntur Orare Pater Noster

Solus Cum Solo, in Loco Remoto, Non Cogitabuntur Orare Pater Noster
(Lat.) "When two people are talking in an obscure place, it is likely that they are NOT telling each other (or reciting) Pater Noster."
Corrected by Mike Ivanof (mihaiivanof@netscape.net)

brahmin
A member of the highest caste of traditional Indian society, who also traditonally becomes a Hindu priest.

Gaite Theatre
Probably Théâtre de la Gaité Montparnasse, still in use today.

faubourg Saint-Marceau
Also faubourg Saint-Marcel; the Saint-Marceau quarter. A suburb of Paris, at the time a poverty-stricken area.


XIV. In Which a Police Agent Bestows Two Fistfuls on a Lawyer

Jardin des Plantes
Botanical garden, oldest park in Paris. Established by Guy de La Brosse, doctor of Louis XIII. Official site.

Voltaire
Voltaire.


XV. Jondrette Makes His Purchases

Rue Pierre-Lombard
Pierre Lombard, (c. 1100 - c. 1160 or 1164). Professor at Notre Dame, Archbiship of Paris (appointed 1158 or 1159). Wrote the theological work Sententiarum Quatuor Libri ("Book of Sentences"), an online version of which is available here.

Salpetriere
Salpetriere.


XVI. In Which Will be Found the Words to an English Air Which Was in Fashion in 1832

Charles the Tenth
Charles X, 1757-1836, king of France (1824-30). Abdicated.

Saint Medard
Eglise Saint Medard, church on Rue Mouffetard, built 15th c. to 17th c. (the action of the first half of the previous chapter takes place on this street). Named for Saint Medard (c. 457 - c. 545), Bishop of Noyon and Tournai, patron saint of protection from bad weather (among other things); his memorial date is June 8.


XVII. The Use Made of Marius' Five-Franc Piece

Diogenes turned Cartouche
Diogenes. Cartouche. Hugo here contrasts the illuminating lantern of a man on a daytime search with the concealed lantern of a thief waiting in ambush.

Charles X
Charles X.


XVIII. Marius' Two Chairs Form a Vis-a-Vis

vis-a-vis
(Fr.) Face to face; also, a counterpart; also, referring or directing attention to. Cleverly, all of these definitions are applicable to the scene that follows.

Saint Medard
Saint Medard.

Salpetriere
Salpetriere.


XIX. Occupying One's Self with Obscure Depths

the Bourbe
L'Hospice des Enfants-Trouvés, a hospital for abandoned children (?).

Jacobin
Jacobin.

faubourg Saint-Marceau
faubourg Saint-Marceau.

bridge at Austerlitz
Iron arch bridge over the River Seine, completed 1806.