The same evening Valjean escapes, but is quickly recaptured and sent to Toulon. One day he saves a fallen sailor. As he plunges into save him, he escapes by making the belief that he drowned. He then goes to Montfermeil where the Thenardiers' inn is located. After burying his money in the woods, he frees Cosette by buying her from the Thenardier's then they move to Paris.
In Paris, he lives in the Gorbeau House. Javert finally tracks him down once again but, Valjean flees to a convent where he sees an old friend named Fauchelevent who is a gardener there and who Madeleine has saved once before. Valjean persuades him to take him as an assistant gardener there and to enroll Cosette as a student. Several happy years are spent in isolation of the convent. Jean Valjean sneaks out by way of burial. .
Marius is a seventeen-year-old who lives with his grandfather, M. Gillenormand. Marius's father, Georges Potmercy, a hero of the napolionic wars, lives in retirement in a nearby city. Marius's father dies right before he see's him, but no reaction was shown from Marius. Marius leaves his grandfather's house as a result of his father's love that he wasn't told about and his political views. .
Marius lives in the Latin Quarter and becomes friends with a group of radical students, the Friends of the A.B.C. He switches his allegiance from monarchy to Napoleon. Marius finally finds a good job, and with this helps build his satisfaction. He then falls passionately in love with a beautiful young lady in the Luxembourg Gardens, who is Jean Valjean's daughter, Cosette. .
One day, Marius gets very curious and peeps through a hole in the wall to the neighbors room and sees the family living in poverty. Soon after he witnesses the entrance of a philanthropist, so called M. Leblanc and his daughter. To Marius's surprise, the daughter is Cosette. An attack was planned on Leblanc but Marius contacts police and on the instructions of Javert returns to his room with the two pistols that were given to him.
