"Valjean…Time after time you have been escaping from me, and now… this time you escaped me for good…I've got so much to tell you, but you can't hear me …or can you?"

Javert sighed wistfully, then put on his top hat and turned away. There, near the grave, stood Cosette, her husband, and a tall, lanky boy that looked sowhat familiar to the inspector. There was no place for Javert among those people. Frankly speaking, he wouldn't even be able to explain to them his very presence in the graveyard.

The group of people at Valjean's grave looked so united, that Javert's own loneliness hit him harder than ever. He felt a pang of jealousy towards the Pontmercys, who were supporting each other in their loss, making the mutual grief less hard to bear, and whose right to be present at this place they stood couldn't be questioned by anyone.

"And what about you, Valjean? Do you also think there's no place for me here? Or don't you? Thank you …for everything….and forgive me. Forgive me, if you can."

Javert's character wasn't prone to mystics of any kind, but the very atmosphere of the old cemetry made some impact on his mood, and he slowed down his steps, as if waiting for some answer, or rather sign from the other world. Suddendly he froze on the spot, having heard a quick sound of high-heeled shoes behind his back.

"Inspector Javert! Monsieur l'Inspectuer, please, wait!"

"Madame?" He turned arouned, looking at the hurrying young woman with his trademark unfathomable expression, the very same he was wearing during their previous encounter, when anxious and worried, Cosette pleaded him to help her to find her father, who had suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. At that time, he didn't look compassionate but still agreed to help her. That's why now Cosette was by no means intimidated by Javert. She trusted the severe inspector.

Cosette, now Baroness Ponmercy, has grown to be a beauty, and looked just like her mother, whom Javert still remembered quite well – unfortunately, he possessed a memory of a professional. But now the young woman looked far from beautiful : red eyes and swollen lips and nose didn't become the fair-skinned blonde at all.

"How can I help you, Madame?" , Javert repeated in a stern voice, while Cosette was trying to regain steady breath after her unexpected race. "Any problems?"

"Yes…I mean, no…all is well, Inspector. I…we just wanted to invite you for dinner."

"What for?!" Javert was stunned.

"In memory of Father, of course", Cosette looked surprised. "He would have liked it."

"Yes, Inspector, we shall take no refusal", added Maruis, who has by now reached them. " Our family is so much indebted to you…"

" You have no debts as far as I am concerned, Monsieur", was Javert's blunt answer. He felt no sympathy towards young Baron Ponmercy.

"Don't beat about the bush, okay?", the teenage boy interrupted them. As soon as he spoke , Javert recognized him immediatedly. Gavroche! Has somehow survived, the lucky brat, and, moreover, now was hanging about with the Pontmercys. The former street urchin has grown up quite a lot since Javert last saw him at the barricades, and now looked well-groomed and dressed properly.

"Gavroche!", Cosette reprimanded the outspoken teenager.

"They all are mad!", Javert thought, somewhat frightened. "Perhaps Valjean's madness is contagoius, after all!".

He was more than surpried to hear his own voice, answering:

"Thank you. When am I due to come?"