With the climactic end of our last chapter, this one leaves us waiting for loose ends to be tied. Fantine is in Madeleine’s care and his receiving medical care. Despite the best efforts she is declining rapidly, and it is unclear how long she’ll be able to live. Will she see her daughter? Will Cosette make it in time to be with her mother, even if just for a short span of days?
Cosette is still in the “care” of the Thenardiers and they are bent on extracting as much money as possible from Fantine and Madeleine (though they don’t know it’s him financing things). What will happen when someone arrives to retrieve Cosette? Will the truth come to light? Will they be held accountable for their crimes?
Madeleine is doing all he can to make this situation right. What will become of Cosette once Fantine dies?
Javert writes his mysterious letter and the speculation is that he is resigning from his role with the police. It is unclear what will become of him. His entire worldview has taken a serious blow.
All told the characters we have been following all find themselves at a crossroads and their fates, though intertwined to some degree, are not yet clear. We can probably assume, given the title of the current book we have just begun, that Javert’s fate will be the first to unfold for us here. I guess we wait until tomorrow to find out.