 The thing came to pass simply, of itself, 
As the night comes when day is gone.Valjean's character is loosely based on the life of Eugène François Vidocq, an ex-convict who became a successful businessman widely noted for his social engagement and philanthropy.Vidocq helped Hugo with his research for Claude Gueux and "Le Dernier jour d'un condamné" ("The Last Day of a Condemned Man").