PREFACE

The prosent vulume closes, so to speak, the séries of Victor Hugu's romances, which it haa been the happiest privilège of my life to have been allowed to place within tbe reach of tbe yoiing English world, Les Misérable», Notre-Dame-de- Paris, Les Travailleurs de la Mer, Bug-Jargal, baving been alroady publisbed and widely read.

The great " master " biinself, before deatb took him from the world in which he had been for nearly seventy years so conspicuous a figure, was the first to grant me, in that gênerons spirit which always moved him wben there was any good to be accomplished, permissiou to bring out Les Misérables as a school-bouk.

I would here record my deep debt of gratitude to M. E. Lockroy, to M. Georges Payelle, to V. Hugo's literary executors, an^ to his two granlchildren, " Georges et Jeanne," for their unvarying kindness in gvanting me permission to complète a work, wbich bas made the last seven years of my school-life such " fuU years " at Dulwich.

J. BOÏËLLE.

Dulwich, February 16, 1801.