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Javert nervously paced while he anxiously waited for the ceremony to begin. Victoria had insisted
that he not be allowed to see her until then. "Confound it all!" He muttered, not thinking anyone had
heard. Someone had. He turned around quickly to find Monsieur Gillenormand and Marius
Pontmercy, laughing at him, quite openly. "I fail to see the humor in this situation, gentlemen."
Javert said, moodily, which of course drew fresh guffaws. "He's in quite a state, isn't he, my boy?"
The old man addressed his grandson, as if Javert was no longer in the room. "Quite so,
Grandfather." Marius replied. "Far worse than I was!"
"Not that far!" The old man laughed. "Never mind, my boy!" He addressed Javert, slapping him on
the back as though the two were old buddies. "It'll soon be over...and you'll be the better for it, I'd
wager...just ask Marius here! He knows! Well, it's time I found my seat...coming Marius?"
"Coming Grandfather, in just a moment. I'll catch up with you. Tell Cosette I won't be a minute if
she's there before me!"

After the old man left, Marius and Javert were alone. "I daresay, you've done well for yourself,
Insepector. You've made Victoria a very happy woman. I'm sure you will do right by her."

"She is indeed everything to me, Monsieur le Baron. I will not let her down." Javert replied, then
almost as an afterthought, "Did you have something to say to me, Monsieur?"

"It's just that...well, I don't understand. I know how you pursued my wife's father...made his life a
living Hell, if I may say so...I remember you from the barricades. You were a police spy. How does a
man like you change so...so completely?" Marius was curious. He wanted an explanation.

"It is just as you say, Monsieur." Javert began. "Some men can never change, but Jean Valjean did,
and after a fashion, so did I. It is the Lord's doing, of that I am convinced."

"I would never have believed it. I certainly did not believe it of Valjean, until Thenardier came to me
with proof." Marius suddenly remembered something. "Thenardier. He had newspaper clippings that
declared you dead, but surely by that time you had revealed yourself alive and returned to duty...
Why did you not demand that the paper retract your obituary?"


"I saw no reason to demand retraction, and the Prefecture concurred." Javert replied. "And if such
men as Thenardier still believed me dead, so much the better. I never attempted to hide my
whereabouts thereafter, so it is Thenardier's own fault if he did not realize his blunder."

Marius chuckled at that. It was true enough. And it was also true that Valjean had forgiven Javert;
so had Cosette, out of love for her father, and so, Marius determined, must he.

"Well, I must say I'm glad things have all worked out the way they have. Congratulations, Monsieur
L'Inspecteur!"