Summary of chapters 5.5.2-5.5.8:

Marius, in his grandfather’s house, is passing between life and death constantly, all the while repeating Cosette’s name. M. Gillenormand, in despair for his grandson, is also neither dead nor alive. Every day while Marius convalesces, a well-dressed gentleman with white hair comes to ask about Marius and to drop off cloth for his bandages. Marius stays in this state for about six months before the physician declares him out of danger, and his grandfather positively rejoices. The entire time, Marius has only one thought: Cosette—he does not know what had become of her. One day, Marius tells his grandfather he wishes to marry, and his grandfather responds that he already knew about it, saying the girl is the one who has been making Marius’ bandages since he has been there; Marius and M. Gillenormand both begin to weep. The next day, Cosette and Marius have their reunion, Cosette entering with “Monsieur Fauchelevent” (who is Jean Valjean, of course). M. Fauchelevent has a large paper package under his arm. M. Gillenormand asks M. Fauchelevent for Cosette’s hand in marriage, which is granted. M. Gillenormand starts thinking out loud about the young couple’s lofe together and how he des not have much money to give them, when Valjean/Fauchelevent says “Mademoiselle Euphrasie Fauchelevent has six hundred thousand francs,” and the package he was holding is revealed to be a bundle of bank notes—Marius and Cosette pay little attention to this incident whatsoever. Hugo explains this all to the reader: Jean Valjean, after the Champmathieu affair, took the money he made as Monsieur Madeleine out of the bank in Paris, and, in fear of being taken to jail again, concealed and buried that sum in the forest at Montfermeil, which he buried also with the two silver candlesticks; whenever he needed money, he went to that spot (which accounts for his various absences from Paris); Valjean also knows Javert is dead, so he is safe. Preparations are made for the wedding, which will be in February (it is now December). Valjean arranges things on the legal side for the marriage: he creates a dead family for Cosette, saying she is the daughter of the other Fauchelevent, and also invents an origin for her fortune. M. Gillenormand showers Cosette with presents and prepares things for the wedding with finery—he does not want the wedding to be at all simple or constrained. It is determined that the couple with live with the grandfather after they are married; M. Gillenormand gives up his bedroom for them, and his library for Marius’ office. Whenever he interacts with M. Fauchelevent, Marius recollects his memories of the barricade and of the time he does not remember, and thinks of how much his life has changed in such a short period. Marius once asks M. Fauchelevent about the street where the barricade was, but the other man denies any knowledge of it, so Marius thinks the man he saw there only resembled M. Fauchelevent. Still, Marius ponders both Thénardier and whoever is responsible for bringing him to his grandfather’s house and first tries to find out more about Thénardier, than about whoever pulled him from the barricade—he learns nothing much about Thénardier but learns that someone took him through the sewers, which is confirmed by multiple witnesses, although he still does not learn that person’s identity. Marius had kept the clothes he was brought back in and discovers one piece is missing from his coat; he voices his questions and thoughts about this mysterious person to Valjean one day, who keeps silent.

Questions for 5.5.8:

1. Did you have a favorite line or passage from this chapter? If so, what made it stand out to you?
2. Were there any instances of figurative language you thought added to the narrative of this chapter?
3. Do you have any other comments or questions about this chapter?

Final line:

Jean Valjean kept silence.

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