On his nightly walks, Valjean has regularly been giving a few cents to an old beggar who sits at a nearby well. One evening as Valjean is ready to give his customary alms, the beggar raises his head and Valjean, petrified, seems to see the familiar face of Javert. The next night, he returns to confirm his suspicion, but it is the same harmless beggar he knows from before.
However, in the evening a few days later, Valjean hears the front door open and shut, and someone climbs the stairs to stand in front of his door. The next morning, he hears footsteps again and through the keyhole sees Javert's formidable silhouette. That evening he makes a roll of his ready cash and taking Cosette by the hand departs from the lodgings.
