Valjean's Confession

[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.

You've spoken from the heart
And i must do the same
There is a story, sir
Of slavery and shame
That you alone must know.

I never told Cosette
She had enough of tears
She's never known the truth
The story you must hear
Of years ago.

There lived a man whose name was Jean Valjean
He stole some bread to save his sister's son
For nineteen winters 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
What can I do
That will turn you from this
Monsieur, you cannot leave
Whatever I tell my beloved Cosette
She will never believe!

[Valjean]
Make her believe
I have 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...

[Marius] I give my word

[Valjean]
...what I have spoken, why I must go

[Marius]
For the sake of Cosette, it must be so.