[THÉNARDIER]
Everyone here, you know your place
Brujon, Babet, Claquesous!
You, Montparnasse, watch for the law
With Éponine, take care
You turn on the tears
No mistakes, my dears

[MADAME THÉNARDIER]
These bloody students on our streets
Here they come slumming once again
Our Éponine would kiss their feet
She never had a scrap of brain

[MARIUS]
Hey, Éponine, what's up today?
I haven't seen you much about

[ÉPONINE]
Here, you can always catch me in

[MARIUS]
Mind the police don't catch you out

[ÉPONINE]
Here, what d'you do with all them books?
I could've been a student, too
Don't judge a girl on how she looks
I know a lot of things, I do

[MARIUS]
Poor Éponine, the things you know
You wouldn't find in books like these

[ÉPONINE]
I like the way you grow your hair

[MARIUS]
Oh, I like the way you always tease

[ÉPONINE, aside]
Little he knows
Little he sees

[VALJEAN approaches with COSETTE, now grown up.]

[MADAME THÉNARDIER]
Here's the old boy, stay on the job
And watch out for the law

[ÉPONINE]
Stay out of this

[MARIUS]
But Éponine—

[ÉPONINE]
You'll be in trouble here
It's not your concern
You'll be in the clear

[She pushes MARIUS away.]

[MARIUS]
Who is this man?

[ÉPONINE]
Leave me alone

[MARIUS]
Why is he here?
Hey, Éponine!

[MARIUS bumps into COSETTE.]

I didn't see you there, forgive me

[THÉNARDIER]
Please Monsieur, come this way
Here's a child that ain't eaten today
Save a life, spare a sou
God rewards all the good that you do
Wait a bit—know that face
Ain't the world a remarkable place?
Men like me don't forget
You're the bastard who borrowed Cosette!

[THÉNARDIER grabs VALJEAN and rips open his shirt, revealing the number on his chest.]

[VALJEAN]
What is this? Are you mad?
No, Monsieur, you don't know what you do!

[THÉNARDIER]
You know me, you know me
I'm a con, just like you

[ÉPONINE]
It's the police, disappear!
Run for it! It's Javert!

[JAVERT arrives and the fight ceases. VALJEAN picks himself up and looks for COSETTE, who is with MARIUS.]

[JAVERT]
Another brawl in the square
Another stink in the air
Was there a witness to this?
Well, let him speak to Javert

[To VALJEAN.]

Monsieur, the streets are not safe
But let these vermin beware
We'll see that justice is done

[Indicating THÉNARDIER's gang.]

Look upon this fine collection
Crawled from underneath a stone
This swarm of worms and maggots
Could have picked you to the bone

I know this man over here
I know his name and his trade
And on your witness, Monsieur
I'll see him suitably paid

[JAVERT turns around to find that VALJEAN and COSETTE have disappeared.]

But where's the gentleman gone?
And why on earth did he run?

[THÉNARDIER]
You will have a job to catch him
He's the one you should arrest
No more bourgeois when you scratch him
Than that brand upon his chest

[JAVERT]
Could it be he's some old jailbird
That the tide now washes in?
Heard my name and started running
Had the brand upon his skin
And the girl who stood beside him
When I turned they both had gone
Could he be the man I've hunted?
Could it be he's Jean Valjean?

[THÉNARDIER]
In the absence of a victim
Dear Inspector, may I go?
And remember when you've nicked him
It was me what told you so

[JAVERT]
Let the old man keep on running
I will run him off his feet
Everyone, about your business
Clear this garbage off the street!