It was already late when the Inspector was finally on his way home. Sitting in the cab,with the overfed and sleepy puppy on his lap (however small now, it was sure to grow up as huge as its father, Chou-Chou) , he wondered about many things, and how to convince his landlady to take in a new and furry "tenant", and where to place the puppy during his working hours were not the only ones. The Ponmercys' instructions of how to take care of Cadeau were now blurred in his head with another dominant thought – that he has just probably passed the happiest, most peaceful day in his otherwise bleak life. He had never felt so light-hearted as he did now. Javert wondered whether it was due to a slight intoxication but quickly dismissed the idea – two or three glasses of wine weren't a great deal for a strong grown -up man like him. No, the cause was a different one: those people were geniunely glad to see him! Even the impertinent boy no longer looked hostile. It was really something new for Javert: he knew that he was not generally a likeable person, and most people shared the same idea….until today.

….Next morning during Javert's report to the Prefect, M. Gisquet suddenly interrupted him:

"You don't look well, Javert. Are you ill? Or have you again been up all night working? Do have some pity towards yourself, no matter what some folks believe, you are not made of steel, for goodness' sake!

" I , indeed, slept little tonight", Javert looked somewhat confused. "But not because of work. It was the puppy."

"The puppy?!", Gisquet thought he had misheard his subordinate.

"Yes, sir, the puppy", Javert, to the Prefect's horror, made an uncertain smile. "It was a gift from my …acquaintances. You know, it turned out that this animal is always hungry while it's not asleep, and it…relieves itself constantly , when it's not eating…"

"But whom have you left it with, then?", asked the Prefect with concern in his voice.

"Errr, I left it alone, actually", Javert shrugged his shoulders, somewhat vexed. "I did leave it some food and water, but…"

"It's not good to leave the little one behind, Inspector, or he'll got scared, being all alone", Gisquet shook his head in disapproval. "You'd better bring it over here, and I'll bring along my Marquise to take care of him."

"Marquise?", Javert looked puzzled.

"Yes, that's my hound's name. Hunting is my old hobby, didn't you know? She's quite an old girl already, ten years old, and, being four times a mother, adores the little ones!", Gisquet laughed good-naturedly.

It was well past midnight when the doorbell at the old Gillenormand's manor suddenly rang. Sleepy old Basque went to open the doors, and was rather surprised to meet a much-worried and confused Inspector with Cadeau wrapped up in a blanket in his arms.

"Beg pardon for my intrusion, Monsieur le Baron…Madame…", he addressed the surprised couple, who had just hastily dressed to meet the unexpected visitors. "But I was afraid that in the morning it would be too late…"

"What's going on?", asked the sleepy Gavroche, also coming out of his bedroom.

"Cadeau…he is ill…", Javert muttered, looking very anxious.

"But what has exactly happened? Please, Inspector , can I have a look at him?"Cosette quickly ran downstairs and took the puppy (who was now much heavier than she remembered) from Javert. Its nose was dry and unhealthily warm.

"You know, yesterday I was on duty and he was left to his own devices…", the Inspector looked unhappy, "…so…at first, he has chewn my cane – left almost nothing of it! – then he tried the table's leg and then..then he felt sick…"

" Spew, you mean? Ouch!", Gavroche felt Marius pinch him. "I wanna say, did he vomit?"

"Almost ten times!", Javert desperately exclaimed, "Is he…is he going to die?", he pleaded the hosts, looking at them in panic.

"Oh, no, M. Javert, I'm sure it's not as bad as that", Cosette reassured him. "He is about three months old, right? It's just his teeth changing, you know, that's why he's chewing anything he can find. "

"Yeah, that's right!", Gavroche added. "When our Chou-Chou was his age, he did just the same and then spe…ouch!, I mean, felt sick!"

The Inspector felt an immense relief, which was written all over his face.

"You know what, Monsieur?", Cosette said after thinking for a short while, "Do stay here tonight! We'll accommodate you in our guest rooms. It's really very late. And tomorrow after work you could go and take all the necessary things from your quarters , and then return back here. And Gavroche could take care of Cadeau whlie you are at work, could you, little brother?"

"For sure!", answered the boy solemnly.

Bewildered, Javert looked carefully at the people around him. Marius' face expression was benevolent and neutral, Cosettes's – affectionate and kind. As for the boy…he just smirked impertinently at the Inspector and made a funny face.

"Do stay with us, M. Javert!", Cosette delicately touched his shoulder. "It would be better for Cadeau, it's not good to leave him alone, at least while he doesn't yet feel well!"

"Ah…Yes. Yes , of course. Thank you", was Javert's somewhat incoherent answer.