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eys。
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 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