Chapter 14 The forest
The innkeeper was right, the night had already fallen when Javert reached the woods of Montfermeil. All he could see was the few glimmers of the city in the distance. He had been on the horse for several hours now, he could not go any faster in the darkness and risk twisting the horse's ankles. The gusting wind penetrated the collar of his shirt and made him shiver. The city was not far away, in a little less than half an hour he would be in an inn, warm in a bed. He had come here for a specific purpose, he knew where to go, without really knowing what to expect. Maybe the girl was dead. He was just going to check and figure out who those Thenardiers were and make sure Cosette was safe, that was all. Montfermeil was not under his authority, he was there as a civilian and not as an inspector; nevertheless, if actions were to be taken, Javert knew that he could count on Montfermeil's police.
The path in the forest widened and became clearer, the trees were more and more scattered as the city became closer and closer. Javert could discern the large abstract shapes of the houses and hear the vague noise of the people. It was hardly eight o'clock, and what Javert heard was the distant noise of a tavern on the edge of the forest.
Javert was adjusting his gloves when he heard the crackling of a pile of leaf that was being trampled right behind him. He stopped the horse at once, both standing motionless in the middle of the path. The possibility of an ambush was not to be ruled out, from anywhere men could jump and attack. Javert scrutinized the surroundings with suspicion. He had slipped his hand into his coat and stood ready to draw his little gun when he saw, behind a tree, the small silhouette of a child.
"Who's there? » Javert asked in a loud voice.
The silhouette trembled and seemed to become even more tiny than it already was. Keeping some remnants of distrust, but realizing that it was only a little boy who wanted to tease him maybe, Javert withdrew his hand from his gun.
"Show yourself, boy," ordered the inspector.
The small form came out from behind the tree and took a few steps towards the inspector.
"What are you holding here? »
"A bucket"
"Why? »
"Water" the child said with a frail voice.
"Are you alone, boy? »
"Yes, I was told to go fetch water," the child replied.
Javert looked at the child for a moment. The child was wearing only a blouse that was too large and that barely covered his shoulders and legs. He also noticed that the child was not wearing shoes. Definitely, that kid lived on the street. But how could he survive in the cold? He could see the boy's body trembling with each breeze of the wind, yet, like a tree bend under the wind without complaint, the child seemed to do the same.
"And where is the well?"
The child did not answer but instead pointed to a place further in the trees.
"Can I go, sir? If I don't go, they'll hit me, I have to hurry, they're waiting for me."
Exactly, thought Javert. If it was an ambush, they would make it pathetic so that Javert leaves his horse to help the miserable child. Leaving the horse was the last thing to do. "And who will beat you, child? » Javert asked with some kind of irony and incredulity.
"Madam"
"Don't you have parents? »
"I don't think so, sir. I don't know. I must go". And he saw the child walk away, still dragging the iron bucket behind him. Javert stood for a long time watching him go away until he could not see him anymore. He shuddered, was it real? A gust of wind knocked over his hat. Javert pestered, he had to leave it there, it was out of the question to get off the horse. But after all, Javert reasoned as his hat rolled back and forth at the will of the wind, if it were an ambush, he would have known it long ago.
Javert put his two feet firmly on the ground, and waited for a moment, his ears raised, looking for the slightest sound. After a minute, nothing had emerged from the bushes or trees. He bent over, picked up his hat and put it firmly on his head. He was about to get back on the horse when he remembered that the child had ventured into the woods alone.
"Kid?" The whistling of the wind was the only answer. How could he have let that child go like that! The woods were not safe for him and certainly not for a child. Javert followed in the footsteps of the child, holding the bridle of the horse in his hand, and ventured to where the child had gone.
After a few meters, Javert found the child dragging with difficulty the bucket full of water. "Hey you there! » The child jumped and dropped of the bucket, spreading all the water on the soil.
"Oh no !" cried the child.
"Leave that," Javert grabbed the bucket and placed it next to the well. "It's dangerous, where do you live? »
"No sir, no, I must bring back the bucket of water, quickly or madam... »
"Answer me kid!" Javert took the child and lifted him by the shoulders. "But you are a girl !" he noticed, putting down the child. "Listen, I won't do anything to you so don't cry!" said Javert.
"There is no more water!".
Javert took a deep breath, damned bucket! And he went to draw water. "Here's your water, little girl!"
The child had stopped crying as soon as she saw him pick up the bucket. "I live at the inn," she sniffed and wiped away the tears that were still beading on her cheeks. "I work for Madam."
"An inn? Well, then take me there! »
"Okay sir, come on! Would you give me my bucket, please? »
"No, I'll carry it, it's too heavy, come on"
They had just returned to the main trail, and Javert lowered his eyes on the girl. She walked quietly beside him, jumping from time to time to avoid a small pond of water, and sometimes stumbling over the roots of the trees.
"Are you not cold? What's your name?" Javert asked.
"Cosette, sir. And it's not that cold."
Javert stopped abruptly and turned to the little girl, "Cosette, you say?" He crouched down and grabbed the child by the shoulders. There was now enough light to distinguish the child's features. She raised her blue eyes at the inspector, not understanding what might have caused such a reaction from the stranger. Cosette was not a bad word, and she just said it was not that cold, and that was only her opinion. Javert stared at Cosette from top to bottom, he was looking for something into the depths of her eyes, something of what he had known before. Something about her... a resemblance? God, she looked like her like peas in the pod. The same face, the same mouth, the same nose, and those eyes, those blue eyes.
The only difference was that Cosette had brown hair and her mother was blonde. Cosette was there, a feeling of extreme satisfaction seized him. He had found her and his instinct had been right, he had looked after her as he had promised. And immediately he became grave. What did all this mean? Why was she alone out there in such rags? So it was to the Thenardiers, to their inn that Cosette was leading him.