Part II, Book 3, Chapter 7
Cosette at the Stranger’s Side in the Dark
Cosette is unafraid of Valjean; her instinct tells her that this man is safe, which means that so far Cosette’s instincts are so much better than her mom’s. (Sorry to take potshots at poor dead Fantine, but it’s true.)
Valjean tells Cosette to give him the bucket, as she’s still clutching it, and as he lifts it up he mutters at how heavy it is. He starts to ask her questions: how old is she, where is she going, if she has a mother, etc. and confirms that this poor child is Cosette, the little girl he’s set out to save. What a coincidence—I kind of love the implication here that if this poor child in the woods wasn’t Cosette, Valjean would have rescued another kid.
Valjean continues to question Cosette and, in short order, gets the whole picture from her (honestly, this man is a great interviewer): that she toils for the Thénardiers, who have no other servants, that Madame’s daughters are spoiled and play with toys all day, that Cosette has no toys herself other than a miniature lead sword (great, so she’s got lead poisoning on top of everything else).
They go through the village, and Cosette completely forgets to stop at the bakery for the bread she was tasked with getting. As they get near the inn, Cosette asks for the bucket back, and when Valjean asks why, she innocently explains that Madame will beat her if she sees that Cosette had help.
Cosette’s whole situation is so messed up. I fear that this girl is going to need (and never get) so much therapy.
I also fear for Valjean’s guilt complex here—knowing this man, he surely feels responsible for any harm that has befallen Cosette, and this is a lot of harm. We’ve ticked off physical abuse, verbal and emotional abuse, neglect and malnourishment, and child slavery, and I’m guessing she’s not getting anything remotely close to an education. This child has suffered so much, and while so much of her suffering can be directly traced to Fantine’s poor decision-making, it would be very Valjean to conclude that he’s the one to blame.
So Valjean also needs therapy here. If nothing else, he needs Robin Williams saying, “It’s not your fault” repeatedly until it breaks through to him.
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