TheCorsicanvendettahaspenetratedtocertainlowerstrataandhasbecomethelawthere；itissosimplethatitdoesnotastonishsoulswhicharebuthalfturnedtowardsgood；andthoseheartsaresoconstitutedthatacriminal，whoisinthepathofrepentance，maybescrupulousinthematteroftheftandunscrupulousinthematterofvengeance。JeanValjeanhadkilledJavert。Atleast，thatseemedtobeevident。
Thiswasthefinalquestion，tobesure；buttothistherewasnoreply。ThisquestionMariusfeltlikepincers。HowhaditcometopassthatJeanValjean’sexistencehadelbowedthatofCosetteforsolongaperiod？
WhatmelancholysportofProvidencewasthatwhichhadplacedthatchildincontactwiththatman？Aretherethenchainsfortwowhichareforgedonhigh？anddoesGodtakepleasureincouplingtheangelwiththedemon？Soacrimeandaninnocencecanberoom—matesinthemysteriousgalleysofwretchedness？
Inthatdefilingofcondemnedpersonswhichiscalledhumandestiny，cantwobrowspasssidebyside，theoneingenuous，theotherformidable，theoneallbathedinthedivinewhitenessofdawn，theotherforeverblemishedbytheflashofaneternallightning？
Whocouldhavearrangedthatinexplicablepairingoff？Inwhatmanner，inconsequenceofwhatprodigy，hadanycommunityoflifebeenestablishedbetweenthiscelestiallittlecreatureandthatoldcriminal？