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The child could not be seen on account of her small size； but the head of her doll was visible。
Thenardier was not mistaken。
The man was sitting there； and letting Cosette get somewhat rested。
The inn…keeper walked round the brushwood and presented himself abruptly to the eyes of those whom he was in search of。
〃Pardon； excuse me； sir；〃 he said； quite breathless； 〃but here are your fifteen hundred francs。〃
So saying； he handed the stranger the three bank…bills。
The man raised his eyes。
〃What is the meaning of this？〃
Thenardier replied respectfully：
〃It means； sir； that I shall take back Cosette。〃
Cosette shuddered； and pressed close to the old man。
He replied； gazing to the very bottom of Thenardier's eyes the while； and enunciating every syllable distinctly：
〃You are go…ing to take back Co…sette？〃
〃Yes； sir； I am。
I will tell you； I have considered the matter。 In fact； I have not the right to give her to you。
I am an honest man； you see； this child does not belong to me； she belongs to her mother。 It was her mother who confided her to me； I can only resign her to her mother。
You will say to me； ‘But her mother is dead。' Good； in that case I can only give the child up to the person who shall bring me a writing； signed by her mother； to the effect that I am to hand the child over to the person therein mentioned； that is clear。〃
The man； without making any reply； fumbled in his pocket； and Thenardier beheld the pocket…book of bank…bills make its appearance once more。
The tavern…keeper shivered with joy。
〃Good！〃 thought he； 〃let us hold firm； he is going to bribe me！〃
Before opening the pocket…book； the traveller cast a glance about him： the spot was absolutely deserted； there was not a soul either in the woods or in the valley。
The man opened his pocket…book once more and drew from it； not the handful of bills which Thenardier expected； but a simple little paper； which he unfolded and presented fully open to the inn…keeper； saying：
〃You are right； read！〃
Thenardier took the paper and read：
〃M。 SUR M。； March 25； 1823。
〃MONSIEUR THENARDIER：
You will deliver Cosette to this person。
You will be paid for all the little things。
I have the honor to salute you with respect；
FANTINE。〃
〃You know that signature？〃 resumed the man。
It certainly was Fantine's signature； Thenardier recognized it。
There was no reply to make； he experienced two violent vexations； the vexation of renouncing the bribery which he had hoped for； and the vexation of being beaten； the man added：
〃You may keep this paper as your receipt。〃
Thenardier retreated in tolerably good order。
〃This signature is fairly well imitated；〃 he growled between his teeth； 〃however； let it go！〃
Then he essayed a desperate effort。
〃It is well； sir；〃 he said； 〃since you are the person； but I must be paid for all those little things。
A great deal is owing to me。〃
The man rose to his feet； filliping the dust from his thread…bare sleeve：
〃Monsieur Thenardier； in January last； the mother reckoned that she owed you one hundred and twenty francs。
In February； you sent her a bill of five hundred francs； you received three hundred francs at the end of February； and three hundred francs at the beginning of March。 Since then nine months have elapsed； at fifteen francs a month； the price agreed upon； which makes one hundred and thirty…five francs。 You had received one hundred francs too much； that makes thirty…five still owing you。
I have just given you fifteen hundred francs。〃
Thenardier's sensations were those of the wolf at the moment when he feels himself nipped and seized by the steel jaw of the trap。
〃Who is this devil of a man？〃 he thought。
He did what the wolf does：
he shook himself。
Audacity had succeeded with him once。
〃Monsieur…I…don't…know…your…name；〃 he said resolutely； and this time casting aside all respectful ceremony； 〃I shall take back Cosette if you do not give me a thousand crowns。〃
The stranger said tranquilly：
〃e； Cosette。〃
He took Cosette by his left hand； and with his right he picked up his cudgel； which was lying on the ground。
Thenardier noted the enormous size of the cudgel and the solitude of the spot。
The man plunged into the forest with the child； leaving the inn…keeper motionless and speechless。
While they were walking away； Thenardier scrutinized his huge shoulders； which were a little rounded； and his great fists。
Then； bringing his eyes back to his own person； they fell upon his feeble arms and his thin hands。
〃I really must have been exceedingly stupid not to have thought to bring my gun；〃 he said to himself； 〃since I was going hunting！〃
However； the inn…keeper did not give up。
〃I want to know where he is going；〃 said he； and he set out to follow them at a distance。
Two things were left on his hands； an irony in the shape of the paper signed Fantine； and a consolation； the fifteen hundred francs。
The man led Cosette off in the direction of Livry and Bondy。 He walked slowly； with drooping head； in an attitude of reflection and sadness。
The winter had thinned out the forest； so that Thenardier did not lose them from sight； although he kept at a good distance。 The man turned round from time to time； and looked to see if he was being followed。
All at once he caught sight of Thenardier。 He plunged suddenly into the brushwood with Cosette； where they could both hide themselves。
〃The deuce！〃 said Thenardier； and he redoubled his pace。
The thickness of the undergrowth forced him to draw nearer to them。 When the man had reached the densest part of the thicket； he wheeled round。
It was in vain that Thenardier sought to conceal himself in the branches； he could not prevent the man seeing him。 The man cast upon him an uneasy glance； then elevated his head and continued his course。
The inn…keeper set out again in pursuit。 Thus they continued for two or three hundred paces。
All at once the man turned round once more； he saw the inn…keeper。 This time he gazed at him with so sombre an air that Thenardier decided that it was 〃useless〃 to proceed further。
Thenardier retraced his steps。
BOOK THIRD。ACPLISHMENT OF THE PROMISE MADE TO THE DEAD WOMAN
CHAPTER XI
NUMBER 9；430 REAPPEARS； AND COSETTE WINS IT IN THE LOTTERY
Jean Valjean was not dead。
When he fell into the sea； or rather； when he threw himself into it； he was not ironed； as we have seen。
He swam under water until he reached a vessel at anchor； to which a boat was moored。 He found means of hiding himself in this boat until night。 At night he swam off again； and reached the shore a little way from Cape Brun。
There； as he did not lack money； he procured clothing。 A small country…house in the neighborhood of Balaguier was at that time the dressing…room of escaped convicts；a lucrative specialty。 Then Jean Valjean； like all the sorry fugitives who are seeking to evade the vigilance of the law and social fatality； pursued an obscure and undulating itinerary。
He found his first refuge at Pradeaux； near Beausset。
Then he directed his course towards Grand…Villard； near Briancon； in the Hautes…Alpes。 It was a fumbling and uneasy flight； a mole's track； whose branchings are untraceable。
Later on； some trace of his passage into Ain； in the territory of Civrieux； was discovered； in the Pyrenees； at Accons； at the spot called Grange…de…Doumec； near the market of Chavailles； and in the environs of Perigueux at Brunies； canton of La Chapelle…Gonaguet。 He reached Paris。 We have just seen him at Montfermeil。
His first care on arriving in Paris had been to buy mourning clothes for a little girl of from seven to eight years of age； then to procure a lodging。
That done； he had betaken himself to Montfermeil。 It will be remembered that already； during his preceding escape； he had made a mysterious trip thither； or somewhere in that neighborhood； of which the law had gathered an inkling。
However； he was thought to be dead； and this still further increased the obscurity which had gathered about him。
At Paris； one of the journals which chronicled the fact fell into his hands。 He felt reassured and almost at peace； as though he had really been dead。
On the evening of the day when Jean Valjean rescued Cosette from the claws of the Thenardiers； he returned to Paris。
He re…entered it at nightfall； with the child； by way of the Barrier Monceaux。 There he entered a cabriolet； which took him to the esplanade of the Observatoire。
There he got out； paid the coachman； took Cosette by the hand； and together they directed their steps through the darkness；through the deserted streets which adjoin the Ourcine and the Glaciere； towards the Boulevard de l'Hopital。
The day had been strange and filled with emotions for Cosette。 They had eaten some bread and cheese purchased in isolated taverns； behind hedges； they had changed carriages frequently； they had travelled short distances on foot。
She made no plaint； but she was weary； and Jean Valjean perceived it by the way she dragged more and more on his hand as she walked。
He took her on his back。 Cosette； without letting go of Catherine； laid her head on Jean Valjean's shoulder； and there fell asleep。
BOOK FOURTH。THE GORBEAU HOVEL
CHAPTER I
MASTER GORBEAU
Forty years ago； a rambler who had ventured into that unknown country of the Salpetriere； and who had mounted to the Barriere d'Italie by way of the boulevard； reached a point where it might be said that Paris disappeared。
It was no longer solitude； for there were passers…by； it was not the country； for there were houses and streets； it was not the city； for the streets had ruts like highways； and the grass grew in them； it was not a village； the houses were too lofty。
What was it； then？
It was an inhabited spot where there was no one； it was a desert place where there was some one； it was a boulevard of the great city； a street of Paris； more wild at night than the forest； more gloomy by day than a cemetery。
It was the old quarter of the Marche…aux…Chevaux。
The rambler； if he risked himself outside the four decrepit walls of this Marche…aux…Chevaux； if he consented even to pass beyond the Rue du Petit…Banquier； after leaving on his right a garden protected by high walls； then a field in which tan…bark mills rose like gigantic beaver huts； then an enclosure encumbered with timber； with a heap of stumps； sawdust； and shavings； on which stood a large dog； barking； then a long； low； utterly dilapidated wall； with a little black door in mourning； laden with mosses； which were covered with flowers in the spring； then； in the most deserted spot； a frightful and decrepit building； on which ran the inscription in large letters：
POST NO BILLS；this daring rambler would have reached little known latitudes at the corner of the Rue des Vignes…Saint…Marcel。 There； near a factory； and between two garden walls； there could be seen； at that epoch； a mean building； which； at the first glance； seemed as small as a thatched hovel； and which was； in reality； as large as a cathedral。 It presented its side and gable to the public road； hence its apparent diminutiveness。
Nearly the whole of the house was hidden。 Only the door and one window could be seen。
This hovel was only one story high。
The first detail that struck the observer was； that the door could never have been anything but the door of a hovel； while the window； if it had been carved out of dressed stone instead of being in rough masonry； might have been the lattice of a lordly mansion。
The door was nothing but a collection of worm…eaten planks roughly bound together by cross…beams which resembled roughly hewn logs。 It opened directly on a steep staircase of lofty steps； muddy； chalky； plaster…stained； dusty steps； of the same width as itself； which could be seen from the street； running straight up like a ladder and disappearing in the darkness between two walls。
The top of the shapeless bay into which this door shut was masked by a narrow s