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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 scantling in the centre of which