Editing Jean Valjean (section)

=== Part Three: Marius ===

During this whole part, Valjean and Cosette are unnamed, as the action is seen from [[Marius Pontmercy]]'s point of view. They are described only as a father and daughter, whom Marius notices on his daily walks in the [[Jardin du Luxembourg]]. He ignores them at first, but later he and Cosette fall in love. Marius stalks the two until Valjean is alerted that someone is stalking them and moves from his house in Rue de l'Ouest (today [[Rue d'Assas]]).

They meet again by pure luck, six months later: Valjean is known for his generosity. As "the generous man from the St-Étienne-church", Thénardier, Marius' neighbour, asks for charity. He recognises Valjean and decides to build a trap for him. Marius, overhearing the plans, denounces the plot to the police, unfortunately meeting Javert. Valjean walks right into the trap and attempts to escape Thénardier once he realizes this. Thénardier forces Valjean to write a letter to Cosette, instructing her to come with the bearer. Valjean, however, gives Thénardier a false name and address and manages to free himself of the ropes tying him with the help of a file concealed in a hollowed-out coin, which is found afterwards. He berates the gang for thinking that they could force him to tell something he does not want to tell and burns his own left forearm with the poker Thénardier had used to threaten him before surrendering to the gang. It is at that moment that Javert enters the scene. There are a lot of people and confusion in the room, and the room is dimly lit allowing Valjean to escape through an open window before Javert recognizes him.