She had questioned Cosette； who had not been able to tell her anything； since she knew nothing herself except that she had e from Montfermeil。
One morning； this spy saw Jean Valjean； with an air which struck the old gossip as peculiar； entering one of the uninhabited partments of the hovel。 She followed him with the step of an old cat； and was able to observe him without being seen； through a crack in the door； which was directly opposite him。
Jean Valjean had his back turned towards this door； by way of greater security； no doubt。
The old woman saw him fumble in his pocket and draw thence a case； scissors； and thread； then he began to rip the lining of one of the skirts of his coat； and from the opening he took a bit of yellowish paper； which he unfolded。 The old woman recognized； with terror； the fact that it was a bank…bill for a thousand francs。
It was the second or third only that she had seen in the course of her existence。
She fled in alarm。
A moment later； Jean Valjean accosted her； and asked her to go and get this thousand…franc bill changed for him； adding that it was his quarterly ine； which he had received the day before。 〃Where？〃 thought the old woman。
〃He did not go out until six o'clock in the evening； and the government bank certainly is not open at that hour。〃
The old woman went to get the bill changed； and mentioned her surmises。
That thousand…franc note； mented on and multiplied； produced a vast amount of terrified discussion among the gossips of the Rue des Vignes Saint…Marcel。
A few days later； it chanced that Jean Valjean was sawing some wood； in his shirt…sleeves； in the corridor。
The old woman was in the chamber； putting things in order。
She was alone。
Cosette was occupied in admiring the wood as it was sawed。
The old woman caught sight of the coat hanging on a nail； and examined it。
The lining had been sewed up again。
The good woman felt of it carefully； and thought she observed in the skirts and revers thicknesses of paper。 More thousand…franc bank…bills； no doubt！
She also noticed that there were all sorts of things in the pockets。 Not only the needles； thread； and scissors which she had seen； but a big pocket…book； a very large knife； anda suspicious circumstance several wigs of various colors。
Each pocket of this coat had the air of being in a manner provided against unexpected accidents。
Thus the inhabitants of the house reached the last days of winter。
BOOK FOURTH。THE GORBEAU HOVEL
CHAPTER V
A FIVE…FRANC PIECE FALLS ON THE GROUND AND PRODUCES A TUMULT
Near Saint…Medard's church there was a poor man who was in the habit of crouching on the brink of a public well which had been condemned； and on whom Jean Valjean was fond of bestowing charity。
He never passed this man without giving him a few sous。
Sometimes he spoke to him。 Those who envied this mendicant said that he belonged to the police。 He was an ex…beadle of seventy…five； who was constantly mumbling his prayers。
One evening； as Jean Valjean was passing by； when he had not Cosette with him； he saw the beggar in his usual place； beneath the lantern which had just been lighted。
The man seemed engaged in prayer； according to his custom； and was much bent over。
Jean Valjean stepped up to him and placed his customary alms in his hand。 The mendicant raised his eyes suddenly； stared intently at Jean Valjean； then dropped his head quickly。
This movement was like a flash of lightning。
Jean Valjean was seized with a shudder。 It seemed to him that he had just caught sight； by the light of the street lantern； not of the placid and beaming visage of the old beadle； but of a well…known and startling face。 He experienced the same impression that one would have on finding one's self； all of a sudden； face to face； in the dark； with a tiger。 He recoiled； terrified； petrified； daring neither to breathe； to speak； to remain； nor to flee； staring at the beggar who had dropped his head； which was enveloped in a rag； and no longer appeared to know that he was there。
At this strange moment； an instinct possibly the mysterious instinct of self…preservation；restrained Jean Valjean from uttering a word。
The beggar had the same figure； the same rags； the same appearance as he had every day。
〃Bah！〃 said Jean Valjean； 〃I am mad！
I am dreaming！
Impossible！〃
And he returned profoundly troubled。
He hardly dared to confess； even to himself； that the face which he thought he had seen was the face of Javert。
That night； on thinking the matter over； he regretted not having questioned the man； in order to force him to raise his head a second time。
On the following day； at nightfall； he went back。
The beggar was at his post。
〃Good day； my good man；〃 said Jean Valjean； resolutely； handing him a sou。
The beggar raised his head； and replied in a whining voice； 〃Thanks； my good sir。〃
It was unmistakably the ex…beadle。
Jean Valjean felt pletely reassured。
He began to laugh。 〃How the deuce could I have thought that I saw Javert there？〃 he thought。
〃Am I going to lose my eyesight now？〃
And he thought no more about it。
A few days afterwards；it might have been at eight o'clock in the evening；he was in his room； and engaged in making Cosette spell aloud； when he heard the house door open and then shut again。 This struck him as singular。
The old woman； who was the only inhabitant of the house except himself； always went to bed at nightfall； so that she might not burn out her candles。
Jean Valjean made a sign to Cosette to be quiet。
He heard some one ascending the stairs。 It might possibly be the old woman； who might have fallen ill and have been out to the apothecary's。 Jean Valjean listened。
The step was heavy； and sounded like that of a man； but the old woman wore stout shoes； and there is nothing which so strongly resembles the step of a man as that of an old woman。
Nevertheless； Jean Valjean blew out his candle。
He had sent Cosette to bed； saying to her in a low voice； 〃Get into bed very softly〃； and as he kissed her brow； the steps paused。
Jean Valjean remained silent； motionless； with his back towards the door； seated on the chair from which he had not stirred； and holding his breath in the dark。
After the expiration of a rather long interval； he turned round； as he heard nothing more； and； as he raised his eyes towards the door of his chamber； he saw a light through the keyhole。
This light formed a sort of sinister star in the blackness of the door and the wall。 There was evidently some one there； who was holding a candle in his hand and listening。
Several minutes elapsed thus； and the light retreated。
But he heard no sound of footsteps； which seemed to indicate that the person who had been listening at the door had removed his shoes。
Jean Valjean threw himself； all dressed as he was； on his bed； and could not close his eyes all night。
At daybreak； just as he was falling into a doze through fatigue； he was awakened by the creaking of a door which opened on some attic at the end of the corridor； then he heard the same masculine footstep which had ascended the stairs on the preceding evening。 The step was approaching。
He sprang off the bed and applied his eye to the keyhole； which was tolerably large； hoping to see the person who had made his way by night into the house and had listened at his door； as he passed。
It was a man； in fact； who passed； this time without pausing； in front of Jean Valjean's chamber。
The corridor was too dark to allow of the person's face being distinguished； but when the man reached the staircase； a ray of light from without made it stand out like a silhouette； and Jean Valjean had a plete view of his back。
The man was of lofty stature； clad in a long frock…coat； with a cudgel under his arm。
The formidable neck and shoulders belonged to Javert。
Jean Valjean might have attempted to catch another glimpse of him through his window opening on the boulevard； but he would have been obliged to open the window：
he dared not。
It was evident that this man had entered with a key； and like himself。 Who had given him that key？
What was the meaning of this？
When the old woman came to do the work； at seven o'clock in the morning； Jean Valjean cast a penetrating glance on her； but he did not question her。
The good woman appeared as usual。
As she swept up she remarked to him：
〃Possibly Monsieur may have heard some one e in last night？〃
At that age； and on that boulevard； eight o'clock in the evening was the dead of the night。
〃That is true； by the way；〃 he replied； in the most natural tone possible。
〃Who was it？〃
〃It was a new lodger who has e into the house；〃 said the old woman。
〃And what is his name？〃
〃I don't know exactly； Dumont； or Daumont； or some name of that sort。〃
〃And who is this Monsieur Dumont？〃
The old woman gazed at him with her little polecat eyes； and answered：
〃A gentleman of property； like yourself。〃
Perhaps she had no ulterior meaning。
Jean Valjean thought he perceived one。
When the old woman had taken her departure； he did up a hundred francs which he had in a cupboard； into a roll； and put it in his pocket。 In spite of all the precautions which he took in this operation so that he might not be heard rattling silver； a hundred…sou piece escaped from his hands and rolled noisily on the floor。
When darkness came on； he descended and carefully scrutinized both sides of the boulevard。
He saw no one。
The boulevard appeared to be absolutely deserted。
It is true that a person can conceal himself behind trees。
He went up stairs again。
〃e。〃
he said to Cosette。
He took her by the hand； and they both went out。
BOOK FIFTH。FOR A BLACK HUNT； A MUTE PACK
CHAPTER I
THE ZIGZAGS OF STRATEGY
An observation here bees necessary； in view of the pages which the reader is about to peruse； and of others which will be met with further on。
The author of this book； who regrets the necessity of mentioning himself； has been absent from Paris for many years。
Paris has been transformed since he quitted it。
A new city has arisen； which is； after a fashion； unknown to him。
There is no need for him to say that he loves Paris： Paris is his mind's natal city。
In consequence of demolitions and reconstructions； the Paris of his youth； that Paris which he bore away religiously in his memory； is now a Paris of days gone by。 He must be permitted to speak of that Paris as though it still existed。 It is possible that when the author conducts his readers to a spot and says； 〃In such a street there stands such and such a house；〃 neither street nor house will any longer exist in that locality。 Readers may verify the facts if they care to take the trouble。 For his own part； he is unacquainted with the new Paris； and he writes with the old Paris before his eyes in an illusion which is precious to him。
It is a delight to him to dream that there still lingers behind him something of that which he beheld when he was i