This is where Fantine and Jean Valjean meet paths. Jean Valjean has managed to become the mayor of a town known throughout the book as M. sur M. When he came to this town there had been a fire and Jean Valjean rescued a young boy from it. Since he was a hero, no one asked to see his passport and so took him without prejudice. He proved to be popular and was elected mayor. He invented something and started a factory in the town which made the town quite a prosperous one. This factory had two different branches. One was for men to work in and the other for women so that there might be no indescretions. The womens factory was overseen by a woman whom we'll call Mrs. B since I cannot remember the whole of her name.
It was in this factory that Fantine came to work to make an honest living and support her and her daughter Cossette whom she loved very deeply. Mrs. B snooped around and found out that Fantine had a child out of wedlock though and so, without consulting Jean Valjean, her employer, Mrs. B fired Fantine telling her that the mayor of M. sur M. didn't want women of questionable morals to work there. Fantine was still able to find some work sewing garments for ladies who didn't want to sew their own but it was only a modest living. When she received notice from the Innkeepers that Cossette was ill she went out and sold her hair to pay for medicine to get her well again. But the innkeepers were lying, Cossette was not ill they wanted as much money as they could get from Fantine. They sent her another letter saying that she needed more medicine this time Cossette sold her two front teeth to the dentist. Once beautiful with long golden hair she was now bald with no front teeth. Still they wrote demanding more money. Finally Fantine had only herself to sell and she fell into prostitution. Jean Valjean, the owner of the factory from which Fantine had been dismissed knew nothing of her or her plight.
At this point in the story we are introduced to another main character, that of Javert. Javert used to be a guard at the Galley but has since been promoted to inspector. He is working, as it happens, at M sur M and happens to recognize Jean Valjean. Since Javert respects authority he knows he can't just come out and accuse this man, the mayor of being an ex con. So Javert waits, hoping he'll slip up. Javert doesn't believe in repentance or redemption he believes that good and evil are both cut and dried and that if a man was evil once he will always be evil. In short he beleives that Jean Valjean will always be a criminal.
Fantine is walking the streets as a prostitute when she meets Javert. A man has put snow down the back of her silk dress and she's only been given one. This dress is her livelyhood if it gets ruined she'll not be able to send Cossette the money she needs to get well. Javert hears her side of the story but decides to side with the gentleman since he is an upstanding citizen and she is nothing but a prostitute. Javert is about to take her to jail when Jean Valjean intervenes. Being the Mayor he outranks the inspector. Javert suspects it is a comradery between criminals that drove Jean Valjean to save this woman from his clutches. When Fantine hears who Jean Valjean is she spits in his face. She blames him for being let go from the factory and when Jean Valjean hears her story he also feels responsible. He takes her in and since she's developed a very bad chest cold, begins to try and nurse her back to health.
Now Jean Valjean has only risked revealing himself in two ways since he became mayor of M sur M, one he attended the funeral of the Bishop of D and two he continues to search for the young boy who's coin he stole right before he repented. At around this time another man, a thief, is found who resembles Jean Valjean and so is mistaken for him. This man has been caught stealing apples from an orchard and if he's convicted as Jean Valjean he will face life in the Galley because it will have been his third crime. Jean Valjean now faces a moral delimma. Should he say nothing and let another man go away for crimes he commited? Or should he speak up and be unable to do this town any more good. Jean Valjean decides to go to the man's trial. Before he leaves, he promises Fantine that he will bring Cossette back to her. Then at the trial Jean Valjean reveals himself to the whole courtroom and then walks out because they are all too stunned to do anything. Javert goes after him and catches up with him at his house as he is preparing to go get Cossette. Fantine, hearing him back thinks he has already brought Cossette. By this time she is delirious and thinks she hears Cossette laughing. Jean Valjean begs Javert to let him bring Cossette to her mother to save her life but Javert is a cruel man and tells Fantine that Cossette is not there. Fantine dies and Jean Valjean goes to Jail.
