Book Seven: The Champmathieu Affair (Part One: Fantine)
(Hapgood translation)
Chapter 1: Sister Simplice, 14.85-15.05%
After Javert's visited him, Madeleine goes to visit Fantine, as he does every day. There were two sisters in his little hospital, Sister Perpetue and Sister Simplice, and they were basically opposites. Sister Simplice is very delicate and virtuous, and has never lied. Ever. Sister Simplice likes Fantine, and on this visit Madeleine tells her to be sure and look after her. Fantine lives for Madeleine's visits, and asks him about Cosette. "Soon", he says. He keeps telling everyone to take good care of Fantine. He stays longer than usual, then goes home and studies a road map of France, and writes a few numbers on a bit of paper.
Chapter 2: The Perspicacity of Master Scaufflaire, 15.05-15.33%
Valjean goes to hire a horse and cart from Master Scaufflaire. On the way he considers going into the parsonage, but doesn't. Scaufflaire asks where Madeleine's going, but he doesn't answer, just says the horse and cart are to be at his door at 4.30 the next morning. He gives Scaufflaire 500 francs as a guarantee in case he (Madeleine) doesn't return the horse and cart. Madeleine leaves his paper with numbers on behind, though, and Scaufflaire and his wife work out that they signify posting relays, and Madeleine's going to Arras. On his way home Madeleine avoids passing the parsonage. He shuts himself in his room for the night, and the man sleeping in the room below his hears him pacing about all night, and sees him light first a fire and later a candle.
Chapter 3: A Tempest in a Skull, 15.33-16.57%
Surprise! Madeleine was Valjean all along. After Petit Gervais, Valjean was a totally different man. He kept hidden, sold the silver, apart from the candlesticks, came to Montreuil sur Mer, and had the clever manufacturing idea. His two goals were to "conceal his name and to sanctify his life". Any time these two conflicted (not often) he had prioritised the latter. Now they're in direct opposition, and he has to decide whether to denounce himself or not. He's made some preparations in case he goes, but hasn't made up his mind yet. He spends hours that night debating it with himself. Every time he makes up his mind some new point occurs to him, and he's lost again.
Chapter 4: Forms assumed by Suffering during Sleep, 16.57-16.78%
By 3am he's been thinking and pacing for five hours, so he goes to sleep in his chair. He dreamed a dream in time gone by that had a big impression on him. Basically he's walking about in a weird place and then it turns out he was dead all along. He wakes up and is cold. He looks out the window and sees a carriage. He wonders why it's there, and then his portress reminds him that he ordered it. He thinks for a while, and then says he's coming down.
Chapter 5: Hindrances, 16.78-17.46%
A mail-wagon collides with Valjean as he leaves M. sur M. and hits one of his wheels pretty hard, but Valjean doesn't stop. He's in a hurry. He's going to Arras, but he still hasn't decided what to do when he gets there. He stops at Hesdin to give the horse a rest. A stableman notices his wheel, and says it won't last much longer. The wheelwright says it'll take him a full day to repair it. There aren't any other cabriolets or anything available, or even a horse good enough to ride that far. Valjean is overjoyed - clearly Providence is intervening to stop him from having to go. He's done his best, but it's impossible. But a boy in the crowd knows an old woman who does have a cabriolet. So Valjean takes it and sets off again, telling himself he shouldn't have been so happy to think he'd have to give up. It's slow going, the roads are bad. He stops again at Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise, and buys lunch. But he doesn't eat it because the bread tastes bitter. Just past Tincques he's told that the road's being mended, so he'll have to make a detour. He goes back to Tincques and gets a new horse, and a boy to guide him. It's dark by this time. Then a whiffle-tree breaks, whatever that is, but Valjean makes a new one from a branch. Valjean is cold and hasn't eaten all day. It's seven o'clock. It occurs to Valjean for the first time that he doesn't know the time of the trial, and he might have missed it. They're nearly at Arras.
Chapter 6: Sister Simplice put to the Proof, 17.46-17.88%
Meanwhile, Fantine is very happy. In the morning she'd been miserable, waiting for Madeleine to come. The doctor was worried about her. She looks pretty awful because she's ill. She gets all excited at 3pm, which is when Madeleine always visited, but of course he doesn't come today. She sings a lullaby that she used to sing to Cosette. Fantine overhears that Madeleine had left town that morning, and assumes he's gone to get Cosette. She becomes very happy and excited. The doctor finds that she's become a lot better, and that it's even possible she might recover if Madeleine does arrive with Cosette tomorrow.
Chapter 7: The Traveller on his Arrival takes Precautions for Departure, 17.88-18.17%
Valjean arrives in Arras just before 8pm, having taken 14 hours for a journey he expected to do in 6. He arranges to return to Montreuil sur Mer by mail-wagon, which leaves at 1am. He wanders around town and gets lost, and after a while asks an old man for directions to the court-house. He talks to a lawyer, who says that the case has been going for two hours. He's told that there's no space left in the hall, except for a couple of seats for "public functionaries". Valjean writes "M. Madeleine, Mayor of M. Sur M." on a bit of paper, and gets an usher to give it to "Monsieur le Président" (like the judge)
Chapter 8: An Entrance by Favour (fuck you, apparently american translation, that word has a u), 18.17-18.38%
Monsieur Madeleine is something of a celebrity in this part of France, though he doesn't realise it, because of being such a great mayor. So the Président immediately tells the usher to let him in. He's led to an antechamber and stands there for a while in a daze. He goes back out into the corridor as if he's going to leave, but then returns to the room. He stares at the doorknob of the courtroom door for a while, then suddenly grabs it and enters.
Chapter 9: A Place where Convictions are in Process of Formation, 18.38-18.84%
The courtroom is badly lit, and everyone's staring at Champmathieu. He looks just like Valjean used to, except older. This is really weird for Valjean, because it's so similar to his trial more than 25 years ago - they're even calling the accused Jean Valjean. The trial's been going on for three hours, and everyone's very interested. Champmathieu seems to be struck dumb. The defence speaks fairly well, but even he doesn't try to deny that Champmathieu is Valjean.
Chapter 10: The System of Denials, 18.84-19.30%
Champmathieu is asked if he has anything to add. He rambles about how shitty his life's been, and says that they should get M. Baloup, his old employer, to tell them that he isn't Valjean. The Président says they couldn't find Baloup, and asks Champmathieu again if he stole the apples and if he's Valjean. He says no to both. They read out Javert's statement (because he's already left) and get Brevet, Chenildieu, and Cochepaille to testify again. They all say that he's definitely Valjean. But then suddenly Madeljean stands up and tells them to look at him.
Chapter 11: Champmathieu more and more Astonished, 19.30-19.58%
His hair's gone from grey to white in the hour he's been sitting there. Everyone looks at him, but the three prisoners say they don't recognise him. He announces that he is Jean Valjean. "Is there a doctor in the house" says the Président. But Madeljean insists he's not mad. He says that the galleys are bad. He does the old "if I'm not Valjean then how do i know X" thing to Brevet, Chenildieu and Cochepaille. Everyone is too shocked to react, so he just leaves, saying they can arrest him when they like.