Finished Les Miserables this morning.
I don't recall having seen the word 'assize' previously. It was the word of the day a week or two or maybe three ago. I then noticed it two or three times in the book.
I saw the musical years ago (14, perhaps more) and it seems to hold quite true to the book up till the end. Turns out Jean Val Jean really hates Marius at first, but saves him anyway (carts his unconscious body through the Paris Sewer). Also, Monsieur Jean lives for four or more months after the battle at the barricade, sees Marius and Cossette married, gives them a large inheritance, and confesses to Marius that he is 'an old convict.' Marius, not understanding the situation fully, comes to detest Jean, and schemes to make him very uncomfortable when visiting Cossette. Jean quits coming to visit the house and dies not of wounds, but of a broken heart. Just before Jean keels over, the inn-keeper, Thenardier comes to Marius to try to extort money from him, and this is when Marius realizes how noble Jean really is. He rushes immediately with Cossette to see Jean - just in time to witness JVJ's last moments.
I'm a little pissed off right now thinking what a waste it was and what an ass Jean was attempting to extricate himself from their lives and in the process killing himself.
k
