91. Forest Intrigue

Part II, Book 2, Chapter 2

In Which Are to Be Read Two Lines of Verse Perhaps by the Devil

Jean Valjean buried a chest in the forest.

That’s it, that’s the chapter. You literally could sum up the entire chapter in just that one sentence. However, Hugo saved so much time in the last chapter that he goes ahead and spends all his savings here, telling this morsel of the story in the most roundabout way possible.

The framing of this very long-winded chapter involves a local superstition about the devil (the best kind of superstition) in which it is said one can meet him in the forest, dig up a cursed prize, etc. etc. Typical superstitious devil-related stuff.

This is all relevant, supposedly, because shortly after Jean Valjean was caught near Montfermeil, people noticed something a guy named Boulatruelle was up to something. Boulatruelle is an ex-convict who—don’t let this surprise you too much—can’t get a job because he’s an ex-convict. Because he’s very unemployable, he mends roads for next to no money. I’m telling you, this system needs so much reform.

Boulatruelle is spotted digging randomly in the forest, hence the invocation of the superstition. You know who has a nose for sketchy opportunity and wants to know more? Yep, it’s Thénardier!

Thénardier and his buddy take Boulatruelle drinking and try to get intel out of him. Drunk B doesn’t reveal everything, but he does let a few things slip: mainly, that he saw a fellow inmate from the prison hulks in the forest (how many former chain gang guys do you have out there that they’re constantly having reunions all over the place??) who was clutching a small chest, and later saw him leaving without said chest but clutching a shovel and pick. Boulatruelle has been literally digging around looking for it, but no dice.

It doesn’t take a total genius to figure it out: Jean Valjean buried a chest in the forest. The question is, what’s in it? I was under the impression that he gave all that money to the poor people of Montreuil-sur-Mer (a fat load of good that did)—is it the candlesticks???