The sun had gone down. Eponine was dead. The defenders of the barricade were going to sleep, except for Courfeyrac, who had taken the watch. Jean Valjean looked around at all of them, trying to figure out which one was Marius, the man Cosette loved. He was about to start quietly asking around, when one of the boys began singing a slow, sad drinking song, and the others joined in, passing around wine bottles. Valjean felt he could use a drink right about now, but he had to stay sober for what lay ahead.

One of the young men, the one who had just cradled Eponine in his arms as she died, slunk off and began singing to himself. Valjean followed him quietly to hear what he was singing.

"Do I care if I should die, now she goes across the sea?
Life without Cosette means nothing at all
Would you weep, Cosette, should Marius fall?
Would you weep, Cosette, for me?"

So this is Marius, Valjean thought. He was handsome. Valjean could see why Cosette liked him. And he obviously liked Cosette too - he loved her, or at least he thought he did. Another girl, Eponine, had just died in his arms a few minutes earlier and all he could think about was Cosette. Valjean was torn between admiration for his dedication to Cosette and disgust at his callousness towards Eponine, who had clearly loved him, enough to die for him.

Valjean slowly approached Marius and knelt down beside him. "Are you Marius Pontmercy?" he asked.

"Yes," Marius said. He looked at Valjean and his eyes widened in recognition. "You're Cosette's father, aren't you? I've seen you in the Luxembourg Gardens with her."

Valjean nodded. "My name is Ultime Fauchelevent," he said.

"Does Cosette know you're here?" Marius asked. "Did she send you to find me?"

"No," Valjean said. "I came here of my own accord. I received word that you were here, and I - I wanted to meet you."

"Monsieur, I apologize for not making myself known to you," Marius said. "I assure you, my intentions towards your daughter are nothing but honorable. I love her deeply, and I believe she loves me as well. I wanted to get your blessing to ask for her hand, but then I heard that you and she were moving away to England. I did not want to make her choose between going with you and staying here with me, so I decided to join my friends on the barricade instead."

"I see," Valjean said. "Did you mean what you said a moment ago, that 'life without Cosette means nothing at all'?"

"Yes," Marius said. "I would rather die than live without Cosette. But - but I thought you were leaving for England tonight. Since you're here - does that mean you've changed your mind?"

"I'm not sure," Valjean said. "This little rebellion of yours has certainly changed my plans."

"Monsieur," said Marius, "I know I have no right to ask anything of you, and I do not know what your reasons for leaving are, but I beg of you, do not take Cosette away from me. She is my whole world, my reason for living. If you must leave, please let her stay. I will marry her as soon as possible and she will want for nothing."

Valjean stared at Marius in quiet anger. Cosette was his world, his reason for living. She did not belong to Marius, had never belonged to Marius. How could Valjean "take her away" from him?

"Cosette has never spoken to me about you," Valjean said finally. "But I suppose she is now at the age where she no longer tells me everything. Especially where men are concerned."

"She did not want you to feel that she wished to abandon you," Marius said. "She loves you very much, you know."

"I know," Valjean said softly. "You are brave to have come here. Fighting for a better world."

"You are brave to have come here as well," Marius said. "Risking your life just to see a man you have never met, because you found out that he loves your daughter."

"I had to know if he was worthy of her," Valjean said.

"And is he?" Marius asked.

"No," Valjean said. "No man is. But if Cosette can only find love with a man who is worthy of her, then she will never find love. And she must find love, if she is to live after I am gone. I am old, and I will be gone soon. I am all she has. I must not allow her to be alone in the world. I see that you love her, and I can ask for no more than that."

"So then… you give your blessing?" Marius asked.

Valjean sighed deeply. "Yes," he said. "I give you my blessing."

"Oh, thank you, monsieur!" Marius said, grabbing Valjean's hand and shaking it. He almost forgot that he was at a barricade, where several of his comrades were trying to fall asleep. A few of them looked over at him, glaring and shushing him. He looked back apologetically.

"Now we must both get some rest," Valjean said quietly. "There will be a fierce battle tomorrow, and the odds are not in our favor."

Marius nodded. "Good night, Monsieur Fauchelevent."

"Good night, Monsieur Pontmercy."

Marius lay down in a quiet corner and quickly fell asleep. But Valjean did not follow his own advice. He could not sleep. He stayed awake, watching over Marius. Suddenly he felt a strange protectiveness come over him, a strong connection to this young man he barely knew. He lifted up his face to the sky and, very softly, began to sing.

"God on high, hear my prayer…"