Paris, 1832

Building the Barricade

ENJOLRAS:
Here upon these stones we will build our barricade
In the heart of the city we claim as our own
Each man to his duty and don't be afraid
Wait! I will need a report on the strength of the foe
(Disguised as a rebel) JAVERT:
I can find out the truth
I know their ways
Fought their wars
Served my time
In the days of my youth
(Marius spots Eponine dressed as a boy)
MARIUS:
Hey little boy what's this I see?
God Eponine, the things you do
ÉPONINE:
I know this is no place for me
still I would rather be with you
MARIUS:
Get out before the trouble starts
get out 'ponine you might get shot
ÉPONINE:
I got you worried now I have
that shows you like me quite a lot

MARIUS:
There is a way that you can help
you are the answer to a prayer
Please take this letter to Cosette
and pray to God that she's still there
ÉPONINE:
Little you know,
little you care
(Eponine meets Jean Valjean at Rue Plumet)
I have a letter, M'sieur
It's addressed to your daughter Cosette
It's from a boy at the barricade, sir
In the Rue de Villette 

VALJEAN:
Give that letter here, my boy 

ÉPONINE:
He said give it to Cosette 

VALJEAN:
You have my word
that my daughter will know
what this letter contains
(He gives her a coin)
Tell the young man
she will read it tomorrow
and here's for your pains
Go careful now stay out of sight
There's danger in the streets tonight

(He opens the letter and reads it)

Dearest Cosette,
you have entered my soul

And soon you will be gone
Can it be only a day since we met
And the world was reborn
If I should fall in battle
Let this be my goodbye
Now that I know you love me as well

On My Own/At the barricade/Javert's Arrival

ÉPONINE:

ALL:
Now we pledge ourselves to hold this barricade. MARIUS:
Let them come in their legions, and they will be met. ENJOLRAS:
Have faith in yourselves, and do not be afraid. GRANTAIRE:
Let's give 'em a screwing they'll never forget!
COMBEFERRE:
This is where it begins,
COUFEYRAC: 

And if I should die in the fight to be free,
Where the fighting is hardest, there will I be
FEUILLY: 

Let them come if they dare, we'll be there!
JOLY (YELLS):
He's back!
JAVERT:
Listen my friends, I have done what I said,
I have been to their lines, I have counted each man,
I will tell what I can
Let it be warned they have armies to spare, and our danger is real We will need all our cunning to bring them to heel
ENJOLRAS:
Have faith, if you know what their movements are we'll spoil their game
There are ways that a people can fight.
We shall overcome their power!
JAVERT:
I have overheard their plans,
There will be no attack tonight
They intend to starve us out before they start a proper fight
Concentrate their force, hit us from the right
GAVROCHE:
Liar!
Good evening, dear inspector, lovely evenin', my dear
I know this man, my friends, his name's inspector Javert
So don't believe a word he says 'cause none of it's true
This only goes to show what little people can do
GRANTAIRE:
Bravo little Gavroche, your the top of the class!
PROUVAIRE: 

So what are we gonna do with this snake in the grass? 

ENJOLRAS:
Tie this man, and take him to the tavern in there
The people will decide your fate, Inspector Javert.
JAVERT:
Shoot me now, or shoot me later
Every schoolboy to his sport, and death to each and every traitor,
I renounce your people's court
ENJOLRAS:
Take this man, bring him through, there is work we have to do!
JOLY (yells): 

There's a boy climbing the barricade!

A Little Fall of Rain (Éponine's Death)/Night of Anguish/The First Attack/Valjean Frees Javert

MARIUS: 

Good God, what are you doing? 

Éponine, have you no fear? 

Have you seen my beloved? 

Why have you come back here? 

ÉPONINE: 

Took the letter like you said 

I met her father at the door 

He said he would give it 

I don't think I can stand anymore! 

MARIUS: 

Éponine, what's wrong? 

There's something wet upon your hair 

Éponine, you're hurt 

You need some help 

Oh God, it's everywhere! 

ÉPONINE:
Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
You're here, that's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow.
MARIUS:
But you will live, 'Ponine - dear God above,
If I could heal your wounds with words of love.
ÉPONINE:
Just hold me now, and let it be.
Shelter me, comfort me

MARIUS:
You would live a hundred years
If I could show you how
I won't desert you now...
ÉPONINE:
The rain can't hurt me now
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last
The rain that brings you here
Is Heaven-blessed!
The skies begin to clear
And I'm at rest
A breath away from where you are
I've come home from so far 

So don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
That's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
MARIUS (in counterpoint):
Hush-a-bye, dear Éponine,
You won't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt you now
I'm here
I will stay with you
Till you are sleeping
ÉPONINE:
And rain...

MARIUS:
And rain...
ÉPONINE:
Will make the flowers... 

MARIUS:
Will make the flowers... grow...
(She dies. Marius kisses her on forehead, then lays her on the ground)

ENJOLRAS:

She is the first to fall
The first of us to fall upon this barricade
MARIUS:
Her name was Eponine
Her life was cold and dark, yet she was unafraid
COMBEFERRE:
We fight here in her name
PROUVAIRE:
She will not die in vain
LESGLES:
She will not be betrayed

[Éponine's body is carried away. Valjean appears disguised as a soldier.]

JOLY:

Here comes a man in uniform

What brings you to this place?

VALJEAN:

I come here as a volunteer

JOLY:

Approach and show your face

PROUVAIRE:

You wear an army uniform

VALJEAN:

That's why they let me through

JOLY:

You've got some years behind you, sir

VALJEAN:

There's much that I can do

JOLY:

You see that prisoner over there?

GRANTAIRE:

A volunteer like you!

COMBEFERRE:

A spy who calls himself Javert!

GRANTAIRE:

He's going to get it, too

PROUVAIRE:

They're getting ready to attack!

[Enjolras gives Valjean a gun.]

ENJOLRAS:

Take this and use it well!

But if you shoot us in the back

You'll never live to tell!

STUDENT ONE:

Platoon of sappers advancing toward the barricade!

STUDENT TWO:

Troops behind them, fifty men or more!

ENJOLRAS:

Fire!

(Gunfire is heard)

LESGLES:

See how they run away!

GRANTAIRE:

By God we've won the day!

ENJOLRAS:

They will be back again,

Make an attack again.

(To Valjean)

For your presence of mind

For the deed you have done

I will thank you M'sieur

When our battle is won.

VALJEAN:

Give me no thanks M'sieur

There is something you can do

ENJOLRAS:

If it is in my power.

VALJEAN:

Give me the spy Javert

Let me take care of him!

ENJOLRAS:

Do what you have to do,

The man belongs to you

The enemy may be regrouping

Hold yourself in readiness

Come my friends, back to your positions

The night is falling fast

VALJEAN:

We meet again.

JAVERT:

You've hungered for this all your life;

Take your revenge!

How right you should kill with a knife!

VALJEAN:

You talk too much,

Your life is safe in my hands

JAVERT:

Don't understand

VALJEAN:

Get out of here.

JAVERT:

Valjean, take care!

I'm warning you...

VALJEAN:

Clear out of here

JAVERT:

Once a thief, forever a thief

What you want you always steal!

You would trade your life for mine

Yes, Valjean, you want a deal!

Shoot me now for all I care!

If you let me go, beware,

You'll still answer to Javert!

VALJEAN:

You are wrong, and always have been wrong

I'm a man, no worse than any man

You are free, and there are no conditions,

No bargains or petitions

There's nothing that I blame you for

You've done your duty, nothing more

If I come out of this alive, you'll find me

At number fifty-five Rue Plumet

No doubt our paths will cross again

ENJOLRAS:

Courfeyrac, you take the watch

They won't attack until it's light

Everybody keep the faith

For certain as the eagle flies

We are not alone

The people too must rise

Drink with Me

ENJOLRAS:
Marius, rest.
FEUILLY:
Drink with me to days gone by
Sing with me the songs we knew
PROUVAIRE:
Here's to pretty girls who went to our heads.
JOLY:
Here's to witty girls who went to out beds.
ALL:
Here's to them and here's to you!
GRANTAIRE:
Drink with me to days gone by
Can it be you fear to die?
Will the world remember you
When you fall?
Could it be your death
Means nothing at all?
Is your life just one more lie? 

ALL: 

Drink with me to days gone by
To the life that used to be
WOMEN:
At the shrine of friendship, never say die 

MEN:
Let the wine of friendship never run dry
ALL:
Here's to you and here's to me
MARIUS:
Do I care if I should die?
Now she goes across the sea?
Life without Cosette
Means nothing at all.
Would you weep, Cosette,
Should Marius fall?
Will you weep, Cosette,
For me?
(Marius settles down to sleep)

Bring Him Home/Dawn of Anguish/The Second Attack (Death of Gavroche)/The Final Battle

ARMY OFFICER (from beyond the barricade):

You at the barricade listen to this

The people of Paris sleep in their beds

You have no chance, no chance at all

Why throw your lives away?

ENJOLRAS:

Let us die facing our foes

Make them bleed while we can

COMBEFERRE:

Make 'em pay through the nose

COURFEYRAC:

Make 'em pay for every man!

ENJOLRAS:

Let others rise to take our place

Until the earth is free!

The Sewers/Dog Eats Dog/Look Down, Javert!

THÉNARDIER:
Here's a hint of gold
Stuck into a tooth
Pardon me M'sieur
You won't be needing it no more
Shouldn't be too hard to sell
Add it to the pile
Add it to the stock
Here among the sewer rats
A breath away from Hell
You get accustomed to the smell
Well someone's got to clean 'em up, my friends
Before the little harvest

Disappears into the mud

Someone's got to collect their odds and ends

When the gutters run with blood
It's a world where the dog eats the dog
Where they kill for bones in the street
And God in His Heaven
He don't interfere
'Cause he's dead as the stiffs at my feet
I raise my eyes to see the heavens
And only the moon looks down
The harvest moon shines down!

VALJEAN:
It's you, Javert!
I knew you wouldn't wait too long
The faithful servant at his post once more!
This man's done no wrong,
And he needs a doctor's care.

JAVERT:
I warned you I would not give in
I won't be swayed

VALJEAN:
Another hour yet
And then I'm yours
And all our debts are paid
JAVERT:
The man of mercy comes again
And talks of justice
VALJEAN:
Come, time is running short
Look down, Javert!
He's standing in his grave
JAVERT(overlapping):
Take him Valjean,
Before I change my mind
I will be waiting, 24601!
(Valjean carries Marius off)

Javert's Suicide

JAVERT:
Who is this man?
What sort of devil is he?
To have me caught in a trap
And choose to let me go free?
It was his hour at last
To put a seal on my fate,
Wipe out the past,
And wash me clean off the slate
All it would take was a flick of his knife
Vengeance was his and he gave me back my life!
Damned if I'll live in the debt of a thief
Damned if I'll yield at the end of the chase
I am the Law and the Law is not mocked
I'll spit his pity right back in his face
There is nothing on earth that we share
It is either Valjean or Javert!
How can I now allow this man?
To hold dominion over me?
This desperate man that I have hunted
He gave me my life. He gave me freedom.
I should have perished by his hand
It was his right.
It was my right to die as well.
Instead I live -- but live in hell.
And my thoughts fly apart
Can this man be believed?
Shall his sins be forgiven?
Shall his crimes be reprieved? And must I now begin to doubt?
Who never doubted all those years?
My heart is stone and still it trembles.
The world I have known is lost in shadow.
Is he from heaven or from hell?
And does he know?
That, granting me my life today,
This man has killed me even so?
I am reaching but I fall
And the stars are black and cold
As I stare into the void
Of a world that cannot hold
I'll escape now from that world
From the world of Jean Valjean.
There is nowhere I can turn
There is now way to go on!

Turning

WOMAN ONE:
Did you see them
Going off to fight?
WOMAN TWO:
Children of the barricade
That didn't last the night?
WOMAN SEVEN:
They were schoolboys
Never held a gun...
Fighting for a new world
That would rise up like the sun. 

WOMAN THREE:
Where's that new world now the fighting's done? 

WOMAN FIVE:

Who will wake them? 

WOMAN SIX: 

No one ever will. 

WOMAN EIGHT: 

No one ever told them That a summer day can kill. 

WOMAN SEVEN:
Same old story. 

What's the use of tears? 

WOMAN FOUR:
What's the use of praying, if there's nobody who hears?
ALL:
Turning, turning, turning, turning, turning
Through the years
Turning, turning, turning through the years 

(Turning, turning through the years)
Minutes into hours and the hours into years

(Minutes, hours, hours, years)
Nothing changes, nothing ever can 

(Nothing changes, nothing ever can)
Round about the roundabout and back where you began. 

(Round about, about, about)
Round and round and back where you began! 

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables/Every Day/A Heart Full of Love (reprise)/Valjean's Confession

MARIUS:
There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on
Empty chairs at empty tables
Now my friends are dead and gone
Here they talked of revolution
Here it was they lit the flame
Here they sang about `tomorrow'
And tomorrow never came
From the table in the corner
They could see a world reborn
And they rose with voices ringing
I can hear them now!
The very words that they had sung
Became their last communion
On the lonely barricade at dawn.
Oh my friends, my friends forgive me
That I live and you are gone
There's a grief that can't be spoken
There's a pain goes on and on.
Phantom faces at the window.
Phantom shadows on the floor
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friends will meet no more
Oh my friends, my friends, don't ask me
What your sacrifice was for
Empty chairs at empty tables
Where my friend will sing no more...

COSETTE:
Every day
You walk with stronger step
You walk with longer step-
`The worst is over'
MARIUS:
Every day
I wonder every day
Who was it brought me here
From the barricade?
COSETTE:
Don't think about it, Marius!
With all the years ahead of us!
I will never go away
And we will be together every day
Every day,
We'll remember that night
And the vow that we made:
A heart full of love
A night full of you
The words are old but always true
MARIUS:
Cosette, Cosette!
COSETTE:
I saw you waiting and I knew!
MARIUS:
Waiting for you
At your feet
COSETTE:
At your call
BOTH:
And it wasn't a dream
Not a dream after all!                                     

VALJEAN (interjecting, to himself):
She was never mine to keep
She is youthful, she is free
Love is the garden of the young
Let it be... let it be...
A heart full of love
This I give you on this day
(Cosette leaves) 

MARIUS:
M'sieur, this is a day
I can never forget
Is gratitude enough
For giving me Cosette?
Your home shall be with us
And not a day shall pass
But we will prove our love
To you, whom we shall call
A father to us both
A father to us all 

VALJEAN:

Not another word, my son
There's something now that must be done
There lived a man whose name was Jean Valjean
He stole some bread to save his sister's son
For nineteen winters, he served his time
In sweat, he washed away his crime
Years ago
He broke parole and lived a life apart
How could he tell Cosette and break her heart?
It's for Cosette this must be faced
If he is caught, she is disgraced
The time has come to journey on
And from this day he must be gone
Who am I? Who am I? 

MARIUS:
You're Jean Valjean!
Monsieur, you cannot leave
Whatever I tell my beloved Cosette
She will never believe!

VALJEAN: 

Tell her I've gone on a journey a long way away
Tell her my heart was too full for farewells
It is better this way
Promise me, M'sieur, Cosette will never know
What I have spoken, why I must go
MARIUS: 

For the sake of Cosette, it must be so

Wedding Chorale/Beggars at the Feast/Valjean's Death

CHORUS:
Ring out the bells
Upon this day of days!
May all the angels
Of the Lord above
In jubilation
Sing their songs of praise!
And crown this
Blessed time with
Peace and love.
(The procession becomes a dancing celebration. A waltz is played)
MAJOR DOMO:
The Baron and Baroness de Thenard wish to pay their respects to the groom!
THÉNARDIER:
I forget where we met
Was it not at the Chateau Lafarge
Where the Duke did that puke
Down the Duchess's de-coll-etage?
MARIUS:
No, `Baron de Thenard'
The circles I move in are humbler by far.
Go away, Thenardier!
Do you think I don't know who you are?
MME. THÉNARDIER:
He's not fooled. Told you so.
Show M'sieur what you've come here to show.
Tell the boy what you know!
THÉNARDIER:
Pity to disturb you at a feast like this

But five hundred francs surely wouldn't come amiss.
MARIUS:
In God's name say what you have to say.
MME. THÉNARDIER:
But first you pay! 

THÉNARDIER:
What I saw, clear as light,
Jean Valjean in the sewers that night.
Had this corpse on his back
Hanging there like a bloody great sack.
I was there, never fear.
Even found me this fine souvenir.
(Thenardier shows Marius a ring)
MARIUS:
I know this! This was mine!
This is surely some heavenly sign!
THÉNARDIER:
One thing more, mark this well
It was the night that the barricades fell.
MARIUS:
Then it's true. Then I'm right.
Jean Valjean was my savior that night!
As for you, take this too!
God forgive the things that we do.
Come my love, come Cosette,
This day's blessings are not over yet!
(Marius and Cosette leave)

THÉNARDIER:

Ain't it a laugh?
Ain't it a treat?
Hob-nobbin' here
Among the elite?
Here comes a prince
There goes a Jew.
This one's a queer
But what can you do?
Paris at my feet
Paris in the dust
And here's me breaking bread
With the upper crust!
Beggar at the feast!
Master of the dance!
Life is easy pickings
If you grab your chance. 

M. & MME. THÉNARDIER:
Everywhere you go
Law-abiding folk
Doing what is decent
But they're mostly broke!
Singing to the Lord on Sundays
Praying for the gifts He'll send.
But we're the ones who take it
We're the ones who make it in the end!
Watch the buggers dance
Watch 'em till they drop
Keep your wits about you
And you stand on top!
Masters of the land
Always get our share
Clear away the barricades
And we're still there!
We know where the wind is blowing
Money is the stuff we smell
And when we're rich as Croesus Jesus! 

Won't we see you all in hell!

VALJEAN:
Alone I wait in the shadows
I count the hours till I can sleep
I dreamed a dream Cosette stood by
It made her weep to know I die.
Alone at the end of the day
Upon this wedding night I pray
Take these children, my Lord, to thy embrace
And show them grace.
God on high
Hear my prayer
Take me now to thy care
Where You are, let me be
Take me now, take me there
Bring me home, bring me home
(Fantine's spirit appears to Valjean)
FANTINE:
M'sieur, I bless your name
M'sieur, lay down your burden
You raised my child in love
And you will be with god.
VALJEAN (interjecting):
I am ready, Fantine
At the end of my days
She's the best of my life. 

Epilogue/Finale

COSETTE:
Papa, Papa, I do not understand!
Are you alright? They said you'd gone away!
VALJEAN:
Cosette, my child, am I forgiven now?
Thank God, thank God, I've lived to see this day
MARIUS:
It's you who must forgive a thoughtless fool
It's you who must forgive a thankless man
It's thanks to you that I am living
And again I lay down my life at your feet.
Cosette, your father is a saint.
When they wounded me
He took me from the barricade
Carried like a babe
And brought me home to you!
VALJEAN (to Cosette):
Now you are here
Again beside me
Now I can die in peace
For now my life is blessed...
COSETTE:
You will live, Papa, you're going to live
It's too soon, too soon to say goodbye!
VALJEAN:
Yes, Cosette, forbid me now to die
I'll obey, I will try
On this page I write my last confession
Read it well
When I at last am sleeping
It's the story
Of those who always loved you
Your mother gave her life for you
Then gave you to my keeping
(The other spirits, including Éponine appear)
FANTINE:
Come with me
Where chains will never bind you
All your grief
At last, at last behind you
Lord in Heaven,
Look down on him in mercy
VALJEAN:
Forgive me all my trespasses
And take me to your glory
FANTINE & ÉPONINE:
Take my hand
I lead you to salvation.
Take my love,
For love is everlasting. 

VALJEAN, FANTINE & ÉPONINE:
And remember
The truth that once was spoken
To love another person
Is to see the face of God!

SPIRITS:

Do you hear the people sing?

Lost in the valley of the night

It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light

For the wretched of the earth

There is a flame that never dies

Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise

They will live again in freedom in the garden of the lord

They will walk behind the ploughshare

They will put away the sword

The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!

ALL:

Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?

Do you hear the people sing?

Say, do you hear the distant drums?

It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!

Aaaah! Aaaah! Aaaah!

Tomorrow comes!