Javert's Regret

He saw the boy in that street - lined up among his comrades. Javert remembered; that child, Gavroche, had exposed him. He was supposed to take solace in the boy and his friends' death, the evidence that he, Javert, had stopped a rebellion, but all he felt was empty, with a growing feeling of something unfamiliar. It was aching regret, remorse for causing this boy's suffering. He halfheartedly reminded himself that the child was a traitor, that he broke Javert's precious law, but his growing guilt drowned that too. He discretely looked around to see if anyone was there, carefully slipped off his most prized metal and pinned it to the fallen little soldier's shirt. That child, Gavroche, who fought and died for his cause at such a young age, was braver then Javret by far. He rose, drowning in remorse and sorrow, and his mind was made. He strode towards the bridge, ready to end it all.