Part II, Book 3, Chapter 11
Number 9430 Reappears and Cosette Wins the Lottery
“Jean Valjean was not dead.” YOU DON’T SAY.
This is right up there with “The reader has no doubt guessed that Monsieur Madeleine is none other than Jean Valjean.” I know the line is for dramatic/funny effect more than anything, but once again I have to bust out this meme:
This short little chapter reads kind of like one of those fics you see people writing online, filling in offscreen action. RIP Hugo, you would have dominated AO3.
As it turns out, Jean Valjean, when rescuing Tombo the sailor in distress, didn’t actually fall into the sea—come on, the man is a cat—but instead threw himself deliberately into the water, where, conveniently unshackled, he swam to a boat tied to an anchored ship, hid out on the boat, and then swam for shore after dark.
Onshore, he used the money he had on him (…how?) and headed to a café that was the “outfitters for escaped convicts,” and wait I now have SO MANY QUESTIONS. Tell me more about this café! You’re telling me you dedicated a whole book to Waterloo and can’t tell us about this fascinating secret front for prisoners on the run???
Ah well. From there Valjean took a circuitous and furtive journey, complete with secret tunnels (!) through France. I love how Javert is running around out there playing whack-a-mole trying to stamp out crime, and meanwhile there’s this whole secret industry and travel network for ex-cons. Amazing stuff.
As soon as Valjean got to Paris, he got mourning clothes for Cosette (a whole new outfit from Paris? Things are looking up for this kid) and found a newspaper announcing his death. He finds this news reassuring, as do I, because I hope this gives this poor man a break from having to evade Javert.
After spiriting Cosette out of the hands of the all-time-grifter Thénardiers, Valjean takes her straight to Paris that day. Cosette finds the journey very exciting (Valjean changes coaches and does a lot of sneaking around, presumably to shake off anyone trying to tail him) and basically has a great adventure. It’s a big day for our little girl, and at the end of it she’s tired, so Valjean carries her on his back, where she falls asleep.
This is so precious, I just can’t bear it. Valjean is already a girl dad! Or the Mandalorian! Whatever you call him at this point, it’s so dang sweet, and I’m so happy that this poor mistreated girl has been found by the kindest, gentlest man you could ask for.
With this image, we end Book 3!
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