[He is glad to 'never mind' it, and does so at once.

Clearing his throat and glancing down, looking every bit as awkward as he was surely feeling, he pressed on--]

You have my gratitude, then.

I was-- I had been in the presence of an Inspector, by the name of Javert. And I have seen that, in his illness, he had dropped his device. Were that... [A pause, seemingly searching and failing for words. He no more wished to accuse than he wanted to be dishonest by pretending he had not heard the accusation already.] ...it were given to me to be returned, to him. [He settles on, after a length.]

Were that to happen, I would be grateful. Eponine, had you happened to see it?