BOOK THIRD: The House in the Rue Plummet

Summary

(This chapter is a flashback to details from CosetteÂ’s perspective prior to the Gorbeau affair)

Cosette and Valjean live in a small house in the Rue Plummet. They have no neighbors, but the house has a garden in the back and another smaller, workmanÂ’s cottage, which adjoins a hidden winding path that meets another street nearly 1/3 mile away. Cosette has matured enough to realize that she is actually beautiful. She begins to ask for clothes and other feminine articles.

This is also the time when Marius sees Cosette at Luxembourg. With nothing more than an exchange of glances, the two are deeply in love. Cosette begins to look for him on her frequent walks with her father although she says nothing to Valjean. After Valjean successfully traps Marius into revealing the object of his attentive glances, Valjean and Cosette no longer walk in the Luxembourg. Valjean continues the morning walks, but always in secluded and little known places.

Notes

While they are living in this house, Valjean has his confrontation with the Thenardiers. Cosette has no comprehension of the meaning of his injury or of what has transpired with the people they had initially set out to help. Her relationship with Valjean has deteriorated a bit as she is not happy but does not feel free to tell him why. In fact, she hardly knows why herself.

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