Chapter 16 : He becomes They.
The thing was done, he had done his duty and what he had promised. Cosette was safe, Fantine was surely satisfied. Now they had to go back to Montreuil. Once there, Javert still did not know what he was going to do with the child.
They were walking up the streets of Montfermeil to the nearest coach station. The journey to Montreuil-sur-Mer would be long and Cosette needed to rest. He had no desire to linger here with the Thenardiers nearby. He had to get her out of town, he had to take Cosette away from here.
Javert lowered his eyes on the child, she was walking and she kept turning over as if shadows were following her. He noticed that she walked rather strangely, sometimes on tiptoes, sometimes jumping to avoid puddles of frozen water. And he realized again that she was barefoot. He stopped.
"Don't you have shoes?" She shook her head. Javert sighed, he hesitated for a moment, then he lifted Cosette up and held her against him. It was warm against the inspector, she put her arms around his neck to hold on better and tightened her small thighs around his body. For the first time in her life, she was safe and warm. As he carried her, Cosette detailed every feature of the strange and stern saviour who held her in his arms. Nothing about that face had seemed nice to her at first, those thick black and grayish favourites almost hid Javert's face, those bushy eyebrows were tangled and there was no smile on his face to reassure her. Yet this man could not be evil since he had come for her. Besides, he knew his mother. What? Maybe he was her father! Or was he going to take her to see her father? So many hypotheses in Cosette's mind, yet she was sure of one thing, yes, a deep feeling told her that: she would never come back to the Thenardiers, she was safe.
"It's a bad idea to go back with that horse now." They had just arrived to the station. A coachman welcomed them and examined Javert's horse. "You have just arrived with that horse, and there's still three hours to go to the next inn and in that cold, the horse will not survive. »
The inspector was determined to leave that very night to put as much distance as possible between Cosette and the Thenardiers. But without a horse, things were going to be more complicated.
"Mister could stay, we have a room... »
"No," Javert cut categorically. "How much for another horse that can keep the distance?"
"Well, I have one, but I can't just give it to you like that, sir".
"I don't have much money left on me, but I can leave my horse here and I will return yours when I get back to Montreuil. I am Inspector Javert, I will return the horse or pay you if anything happens to the horse".
"Well…" the man seemed to hesitate. "Let me take notes of what you are saying. Here, can I have your signature. I just want to be sure; I usually don't do those kind of things".
"I understand", Javert grabbed the feather and signed the paper.
"Yet, Inspector, you should know that the horse will need to rest, don't let it get too exhausted or you will be stuck on the road."
"I will treat it as my own".
"Very good, inspector. Well, follow me, I will show you the horse."
He led Javert to the stables and showed him a beautiful black stallion with lots of small white dots on his back. "This is Gallibert."
Cosette, who had managed to go unnoticed, smothered a laugh in Javert's coat.
The groom, leaning over, discovered the little girl clinging to the inspector.
"Here, I didn't see you... »
"She weighs nothing, it won't be an additional burden for the horse, will she?" asked Javert.
"No, no it should not be a problem. My name is Marc, and you, what is your name, child? »
"I would like to leave as soon as possible; I am expected elsewhere. »
"Oh, I understand... My apologies, let me set everything ready for your departure. »
Marc left the stable and came back a few minutes later with a bag full of food and a bottle of water. "Here, a gift from the house, and for you, child, you must be starving". He left it to Javert and then went to prepare Gallibert. In no time, the horse was waiting for them outside, ready to leave.
"Thank you, and here, take that money for your services" He gave some money to Marc and then turned toward the little girl. She was still standing behind him, her arms clasped around herself because of the cold. Her attention had been drawn to the front of a store across the street, where a pretty doll sat in the midst of other toys. The doll wore a long white dress with ribbons and laces, and her hair was delicately styled in half a ponytail. Cosette was so absorbed by the almost divine beauty of this doll that she did not hear Javert call her. He looked at the same direction to see what she was looking at, and his eyes also found that beautiful doll. If Cosette thought that the doll would be much better with her, Javert, seeing the clothes that covered the toy so warmly, thought about Cosette and the clothes she should be wearing. He laid his two big hands on Cosette's small frail shoulders. The heat brought Cosette back to reality.
"We must leave, soon, you won't be cold anymore," and he lifted her up to put her on the horse before getting on the horse behind her. "Here, eat." He searched the bag and gave Cosette an piece of bread wrapped in a napkin.
It was in a dark night and under freezing wind that they left the town.