Book Four: The Gorbeau Hovel (Part Two: Cosette)
(Hapgood on Kindle)
Chapter 1: Master Gorbeau, Location 7948-8044
40 years ago (i.e. the 1820s) there was a strange looking house on the outskirts of Paris. At first glance it appeared to be a tiny hovel, but it was actually as large as a cathedral. This was because from the road you could only see the end of it. It was a pretty dilapidated house, and had lots of tiny rooms all coming off one long corridor. It had enormous spiders. It was known as the Gorbeau house, because an attorney named Gorbeau had once owned it, and it was on a terribly dull part of the Boulevard de l'Hopital.
Chapter 2: A Nest For an Owl and a Warbler, Location 8049-8074
Valjean halted in front of this house, opened it with a key, and entered. He carried Cosette into a room that was all ready for them and laid her on a bed. The next morning Cosette awoke, and initially believed herself still with the Thenardiers, but then saw Valjean smiling at her. She spent the whole day playing with Catherine, after asking Valjean some questions about where they were and whether she had to go back to Madame Thenardier.
Chapter 3: Two Misfortunes Make One Piece Of Good Fortune, Location 8076-8134
At daybreak the following morning Valjean was again by Cosette's bedside, waiting for her to wake up. He already loved her intensely, and it was basically the first time he had ever loved anyone. Cosette had also had very few opportunities to love, but now she loved Valjean. The only other person living in the house was an old woman who was called the principal tenant but acted as portress. For a few weeks they lived there happily. Valjean began teaching Cosette to read. She called him père. It's good that Cosette came into Valjean's life when she did, because he might have "been on the eve of growing discouraged and falling once more".
Chapter 4: The Remarks of the Principal Tenant, Location 8142-8174
Valjean never went out in the day, but in the evening he would go for walks and to church. Sometimes he took Cosette with him, which she loved. The old woman did the housekeeping, cooking and shopping. Valjean looked like a poor man, but kept giving silver coins to beggars. He became known in the area as the beggar who gives alms. The principal tenant was very curious about Valjean. One day she saw him cutting a 1000 franc bank bill from the lining of his coat. A few days later she felt the coat, and found that it contained many more bank bills. She also found that the pockets contained things like a needle and thread, scissors, a pocket book, a knife, and several wigs.
Chapter 5: A Five-Franc Piece Falls on the Ground and Produces a Tumult, Location 8176-8231
There was a beggar whom Valjean was in the habit of giving money to, and who some people said worked for the police. One evening as Valjean handed over some money the beggar glanced up, and it seemed to Valjean that it wasn't the beggar at all, but Javert. He wasn't at all sure though, and thought he might well have been imagining things. The next day the beggar looked the same as always, and Valjean was reassured. A few days later he heard footsteps coming up the stairs, at a time when the old woman was usually in bed. Valjean and Cosette were silent, and someone paused outside their door with a light, listening. Valjean didn't sleep a wink that night. At daybreak the person passed the door again, going out of the building again. Valjean peeked through the keyhole and recognised Javert. However the principal tenant told him that the man was a new lodger. That night Valjean carefully put all his cash into his pocket, but dropped a five franc piece, which made a loud noise. He went outside to look around and, seeing the street apparently deserted, went back to fetch Cosette and they left together.