Paris, 1832.
The dawn light glowed on a massive elephant. The monument, made of wood and plaster, now ruined and crumbling, stood on a plinth on one side of the wide open square. On the far side, the remains of the great fortress that was the Bastille. In the middle, scaffolding surrounds a half-built triumphal column, which was being erected to celebrate the new regime. The streets that ran from the square lead in one direction to the Paris of power and wealth; in the other direction into the slums. A head popped out of one of the elephant's many holes -Gavroche, a street urchin. He gave a shrill whistle. At once a dozen more street urchins showed themselves, from every crack in the monument's skin. Agile as a monkey, Gavroche dropped to the ground, followed by his band. Gavroche raced down a grand boulevard, dodging the crowds of strolling bourgeoisie and beggars, weaving in and out of the lines of carriages attempting to make their way in either direction. These were the conveyances of the rich, fine gilded coaches with matched horses and footmen on the back. Virtually at a standstill, they gave Gavroche a platform as he leapt from coach to coach, a street urchin dancing on the heads of the elite. As he went, the poor on the pavements sang to the stony-faced rich in their golden high-sprung glory -
"Look down and see the beggars at your feet! Look down and show some mercy if you can! Look down and see the sweepings of the street! Look down, look down, Upon your fellow man!" The fine ladies and grand gentlemen in the carriages averted their eyes, or raise the blinds of their carriage windows to shut out the sight of the losers of their world. Gavroche, bounded over their heads, evading the swipes of liveried footmen, he landed on the running board of one particularly grand carriage and taunted the rich occupant.
"'Ow do you do? My name's Gavroche! These are my people, here's my patch. Not much to look at -nothing posh! Nothing that you'd call up to scratch. This is my school, my high society! Here in the slums of St Michel. We live on crumbs of humble piety Tough on the teeth - but what the hell! Think you're poor? Think you're free? Follow me! Follow me!" He cried
"Look down and show some mercy if you can! Look down, look down, upon your fellow man!" Still running Gavroche hopped onto the back of another very grand carriage, the traffic now moving at last, hitching a ride on the back - one or two of his gang hop on back of carriage with him, the others run panting after to hear his political lecture.
"There was a time we killed the King we tried to change the world too fast. Now we have got another King, he is no better than the last. This is the land that fought for liberty -Now when we fight we fight for bread! Here is the thing about equality - everyone's equal when they're dead. Take your place Take your chance! Vive la France! Vive la France!" Just then he saw his destination coming up. Lamarque's house. The carriage had reached an arch into a courtyard where a crowd of a couple of hundred was gathered outside a house of sickness. The carriage stopped as its occupant wanted to watch what was going on. The street was padded with straw. Many eyes gazed up at the draped windows. People crossed themselves. A priest was seen hurrying into the house, accompanied by two altar boys. Gavroche jumped off as the carriage stopped and joined the crowd. The crowd was made up of citizens of Paris, student revolutionaries, the poor and beggars. The students handed out printed leaflets and tried to excite the crowd.
"Look down and show some mercy if you can! Look down, look down, upon your fellow man!"
"When's it gonna end?" Courfeyrac cried
"When we gonna live?" called a beggar
"Something's gotta happen now!" said Joly
"Something's gotta give!" Said a beggar
"It'll come, it'll come, it'll come... It'll come, it'll come, it'll come..." Enjolras, stood on a raised step, making an impassioned speech with fellow student and his close friend Marius. The occupant of the stopped carriage was Monsieur Gillenormand, Marius' Grandfather. He was clearly deeply unhappy to see his grandson engaged in such an activity. In the crowd a young street girl, Eponine, had her eyes fixed longingly on the handsome Marius. Of coarse no one noticed a girl who looked about twelve with bright blue eyes, pale skin and dark hair, though in reality she was a young woman of fifteen she easily passed as a child for she was small for her age.
"Where are the leaders of the land? Where are the swells who run this show?"
"Only one man, General Lamarque speaks for the people here below!" Marius looked towards Lamarque's house behind him.
"Lamarque is ill and fading fast -Won't last a week out, so they say. With all the anger in the land, How long before the Judgment Day? Before we cut the fat ones down to size? Before the barricades arise?" Mounted Police rode in to break up the crowd.
"Look down, look down, don't look us in the eye! Look down, look down, stay here and you die!" They cried The crowd broke up. As the students shouted to the crowd: "Tomorrow we will return!"
"Tell everyone you know!" Cried Marius
"We will show them!"
"Lamarque is the only leader on our side! We have a right to pray for Lamarque!" Courfeyrac cried
"We need more people, then the police will not dare ride against us!" Said Joly
"Vive le General Lamarque!" Cried Marius he turned to see his Grandfather staring him down, furious.
"Do you have any idea of the shame you bring on your family! You're behaving like a child!" His grandfather cried
"Speaking of children where is your little sister?" The old man asked his eyes narrowing
"At home where she belongs," Marius said
"I would never bring her here! And besides you know as well as I, Angelique is no longer a child, she is too smart to put herself in this kind of situation!" Marius said Gillenormand spied a gun poking out of his jacket. He turned to get back in his carriage.
"You are unfit to raise a girl" the old man said bitterly before he left. Marius raked his fingers though his short dark brown hair, it was not uncommon for his grandfather to insult his care taking of his younger sister. Just then he saw a small figure trying to get away unnoticed
"Angelique?" The small girl froze. Realizing she'd been caught, Marius stalked over to the girl
"Marius... I can explain... I... I... I just wanted to watch" Marius shook his head
"You are in so much trouble."
Reviews are loved my first Les Mis story so please be gentle!