Les Misérables · Chapter
II: It Is Lucky That the Pont d’Austerlitz Bears Carriages explained
Jean Valjean, carrying Cosette, escapes through the streets of Paris, crosses the Pont d'Austerlitz, and enters a dark little street, believing he has lost his pursuers but then spotting four shadows on the bridge.
What happens
Jean Valjean, carrying Cosette, escapes through the streets of Paris, crosses the Pont d'Austerlitz, and enters a dark little street, believing he has lost his pursuers but then spotting four shadows on the bridge.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
Marius’s psychological peak occurs as he is overwhelmed by a “whirlwind” of confusion, realizing that his pers…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Suffering and Sacrifice
Jean Valjean's desperate flight, carrying the exhausted Cosette, underscores his sacrifice and endurance for her safety.
Characters to notice
- Jean Valjean
Flees with Cosette, carries her when she tires, pays toll on the bridge, and enters a dark street to evade pursuit.
- Cosette
Begins to tire, is carried by Jean Valjean, then walks briefly on the bridge before being taken into a dark street.
Key passages
“He took advantage of their hesitation. It was time lost for them, but gained for him.”
He used their moment of indecision to his advantage; their delay was his opportunity.
Highlights Valjean's tactical use of his pursuers' hesitation.
“Every flight should be an imperceptible slipping away.”
A successful escape must go unnoticed.
Reflects Valjean's mindset of stealth and evasion.
