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her from all trials； to take advantage of her ignorance of her isolation； in order to make an artificial vocation germinate in her； was to rob a human creature of its nature and to lie to God。 And who knows if； when she came to be aware of all this some day； and found herself a nun to her sorrow； Cosette would not e to hate him？
A last； almost selfish thought； and less heroic than the rest； but which was intolerable to him。
He resolved to quit the convent。
He resolved on this； he recognized with anguish； the fact that it was necessary。
As for objections； there were none。 Five years' sojourn between these four walls and of disappearance had necessarily destroyed or dispersed the elements of fear。 He could return tranquilly among men。
He had grown old； and all had undergone a change。
Who would recognize him now？ And then； to face the worst； there was danger only for himself； and he had no right to condemn Cosette to the cloister for the reason that he had been condemned to the galleys。
Besides； what is danger in parison with the right？
Finally； nothing prevented his being prudent and taking his precautions。
As for Cosette's education； it was almost finished and plete。
His determination once taken； he awaited an opportunity。 It was not long in presenting itself。
Old Fauchelevent died。
Jean Valjean demanded an audience with the revered prioress and told her that； having e into a little inheritance at the death of his brother； which permitted him henceforth to live without working； he should leave the service of the convent and take his daughter with him； but that； as it was not just that Cosette； since she had not taken the vows； should have received her education gratuitously； he humbly begged the Reverend Prioress to see fit that he should offer to the munity； as indemnity； for the five years which Cosette had spent there； the sum of five thousand francs。
It was thus that Jean Valjean quitted the convent of the Perpetual Adoration。
On leaving the convent； he took in his own arms the little valise the key to which he still wore on his person； and would permit no porter to touch it。
This puzzled Cosette； because of the odor of embalming which proceeded from it。
Let us state at once； that this trunk never quitted him more。 He always had it in his chamber。
It was the first and only thing sometimes； that he carried off in his moving when he moved about。 Cosette laughed at it； and called this valise his inseparable； saying： 〃I am jealous of it。〃
Nevertheless； Jean Valjean did not reappear in the open air without profound anxiety。
He discovered the house in the Rue Plumet； and hid himself from sight there。
Henceforth he was in the possession of the name： Ultime Fauchelevent。
At the same time he hired two other apartments in Paris； in order that he might attract less attention than if he were to remain always in the same quarter； and so that he could； at need； take himself off at the slightest disquietude which should assail him； and in short； so that he might not again be caught unprovided as on the night when he had so miraculously escaped from Javert。 These two apartments were very pitiable； poor in appearance； and in two quarters which were far remote from each other； the one in the Rue de l'Ouest； the other in the Rue de l'Homme Arme。
He went from time to time； now to the Rue de l'Homme Arme； now to the Rue de l'Ouest； to pass a month or six weeks； without taking Toussaint。
He had himself served by the porters； and gave himself out as a gentleman from the suburbs； living on his funds； and having a little temporary resting…place in town。 This lofty virtue had three domiciles in Paris for the sake of escaping from the police。
THE HOUSE WITH A SECRET
About the middle of the last century； a chief justice in the Parliament of Paris having a mistress and concealing the fact； for at that period the grand seignors displayed their mistresses； and the bourgeois concealed them； had 〃a little house〃 built in the Faubourg Saint…Germain； in the deserted Rue Blomet； which is now called Rue Plumet； not far from the spot 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