Les Misérables Volume IV Book 1 Chapter 2

In which the delicate aftermath of the Revolution of 1830 reveals the tension between lofty ideals and the pragmatic manoeuvrings of those who seek to temper change with caution, fashioning a throne half-made from revolution and tradition. Here, the restless spirit of progress is both constrained and consoled by the desire for a measured halt, as skillful statesmanship endeavours to stitch together the past and the future with a wary hand.