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pot which was then designated as bat des Animaux。
This house was posed of a single…storied pavilion； two rooms on the ground floor； two chambers on the first floor； a kitchen down stairs； a boudoir up stairs； an attic under the roof； the whole preceded by a garden with a large gate opening on the street。 This garden was about an acre and a half in extent。
This was all that could be seen by passers…by； but behind the pavilion there was a narrow courtyard； and at the end of the courtyard a low building consisting of two rooms and a cellar； a sort of preparation destined to conceal a child and nurse in case of need。
This building municated in the rear by a masked door which opened by a secret spring； with a long； narrow； paved winding corridor； open to the sky； hemmed in with two lofty walls； which； hidden with wonderful art； and lost as it were between garden enclosures and cultivated land； all of whose angles and detours it followed； ended in another door； also with a secret lock which opened a quarter of a league away； almost in another quarter； at the solitary extremity of the Rue du Babylone。
Through this the chief justice entered； so that even those who were spying on him and following him would merely have observed that the justice betook himself every day in a mysterious way somewhere； and would never have suspected that to go to the Rue de Babylone was to go to the Rue Blomet。
Thanks to clever purchasers of land； the magistrate had been able to make a secret； sewer…like passage on his own property； and consequently； without interference。
Later on； he had sold in little parcels； for gardens and market gardens； the lots of ground adjoining the corridor； and the proprietors of these lots on both sides thought they had a party wall before their eyes； and did not even suspect the long； paved ribbon winding between two walls amid their flower…beds and their orchards。 Only the birds beheld this curiosity。
It is probable that the linnets and tomtits of the last century gossiped a great deal about the chief justice。
The pavilion； built of stone in the taste of Mansard； wainscoted and furnished in the Watteau style； rocaille on the inside； old…fashioned on the outside； walled in with a triple hedge of flowers； had something discreet； coquettish； and solemn about it； as befits a caprice of love and magistracy。
This house and corridor； which have now disappeared； were in existence fifteen years ago。
In '93 a coppersmith had purchased the house with the idea of demolishing it； but had not been able to pay the price； the nation made him bankrupt。
So that it was the house which demolished the coppersmith。
After that； the house remained uninhabited； and fell slowly to ruin； as does every dwelling to which the presence of man does not municate life。 It had remained fitted with its old furniture； was always for sale or to let； and the ten or a dozen people who passed through the Rue Plumet were warned of the fact by a yellow and illegible bit of writing which had hung on the garden wall since 1819。
Towards the end of the Restoration； these same passers…by might have noticed that the bill had disappeared； and even that the shutters on the first floor were open。
The house was occupied； in fact。 The windows had short curtains； a sign that there was a woman about。
In the month of October； 1829； a man of a certain age had presented himself and had hired the house just as it stood； including； of course； the back building and the lane which ended in the Rue de Babylone。 He had had the secret openings of the two doors to this passage repaired。 The house； as we have just mentioned； was still very nearly furnished with the justice's old fitting； the new tenant had ordered some repairs； had added what was lacking here and there； had replaced the paving…stones in the yard； bricks in the floors； steps in the stairs； missing bits in the inlaid floors and the glass in the lattice windows； and had finally installed himself there with a young girl and an elderly maid…servant； without motion； rather like a person who is slipping in than like a man who is entering his own house。
The neighbors did not gossip about him； for the reason that there were no neighbors。
This unobtrusive tenant was Jean Valjean； the young girl was Cosette。 The servant was a woman named Toussaint； whom Jean Valjean had saved from the hospital and from wretchedness； and who was elderly； a stammerer； and from the provinces； three qualities which had decided Jean Valjean to take her with him。
He had hired the house under the name of M。 Fauchelevent； independent gentleman。 In all that has been related heretofore； the reader has； doubtless； been no less prompt than Thenardier to recognize Jean Valjean。
Why had Jean Valjean quitted the convent of the Petit…Picpus？ What had happened？
Nothing had happened。
It will be remembered that Jean Valjean was happy in the convent； so happy that his conscience finally took the alarm。
He saw Cosette every day； he felt paternity spring up and develop within him more and more； he brooded over the soul of that child； he said to himself that she was his； that nothing could take her from him； that this would last indefinitely； that she would certainly bee a nun； being thereto gently incited every day； that thus the convent was henceforth the universe for her as it was for him； that he should grow old there； and that she would grow up there； that she would grow old there； and that he should die there； that； in short； delightful hope； no separation was possible。
On reflecting upon this； he fell into perplexity。
He interrogated himself。
He asked himself if all that happiness were really his； if it were not posed of the happiness of another； of the happiness of that child which he； an old man； was confiscating and stealing； if that were not theft？ He said to himself； that this child had a right to know life before renouncing it； that to deprive her in advance； and in some sort without consulting her； of all joys； under the pretext of saving her from all trials； to take advantage of her ignorance of her isolation； in order to make an artifi