He cannot explain it much further than that. He tried, with Marius. But how can anyone understand honesty from a convict?
'Cosette knows that I am not her father, mademoiselle. She has a husband, she has an aunt, and a grandfather. And best of all, now she has her mother. She is blessed, and with all these things that will not cause her any trouble. I have my ways, and she knows of them, and I still see her a little every day.'
There is, of course, one more pertinent fact.
'It is not quite right to say no one else suspects anything of me. Thenardier is aware. He will not hesitate to use the information to his advantage.'
He does not know if Thenardier realises his entire past, or still simply believes that he is a millionaire who is there to be blackmailed. But he does not doubt that that man will find out all he can - and there is the link to Montreuil that he is quite aware of, through the letters from Fantine; there is little hope that a mayor arrested as an ex-con will not be remembered, and passed on to people who might come and inquire. No, he cannot dare hope that it is only he and Javert who know the truth back in Paris.
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He cannot explain it much further than that. He tried, with Marius. But how can anyone understand honesty from a convict?
'Cosette knows that I am not her father, mademoiselle. She has a husband, she has an aunt, and a grandfather. And best of all, now she has her mother. She is blessed, and with all these things that will not cause her any trouble. I have my ways, and she knows of them, and I still see her a little every day.'
There is, of course, one more pertinent fact.
'It is not quite right to say no one else suspects anything of me. Thenardier is aware. He will not hesitate to use the information to his advantage.'
He does not know if Thenardier realises his entire past, or still simply believes that he is a millionaire who is there to be blackmailed. But he does not doubt that that man will find out all he can - and there is the link to Montreuil that he is quite aware of, through the letters from Fantine; there is little hope that a mayor arrested as an ex-con will not be remembered, and passed on to people who might come and inquire. No, he cannot dare hope that it is only he and Javert who know the truth back in Paris.
'So you see, it is not safe at all.'