CHAPTER 3: ATTEMPT FAILED

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Cosette awoke, still feeling tired. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in her bed. She looked around her room and sighed. Soon, she thought, she would be on her way to England.

Upon glancing around her room, her eyes rested on her window. Sunlight was streaming through it. She gasped in horror. What time was it? Why hadn't someone woken her? She relaxed, thinking her father had let her sleep in, so she would be prepared and rested for the trip across the sea.

She washed her face, brushed her hair, and dressed herself before heading out the door. She walked daintily down to the kitchen, where her father and another man were discussing something over tea.

She was about to turn back around, feeling that she was interfering with a private conversation, when her father looked up and saw her. He smiled at her, and said, "Cosette, my dear, come sit by me."

She sat down obediently at the old mans' side. "This is Doctor Sondeaux, the physician from down the road." Valjean said as he paid the man. Then, the physician stood from his seat, and left.

"Why has he visited?" Cosette asked casually, no worry written on her charming face.

"Cosette, your Marius, he is in the other room." Valjean said, gesturing to the guest bedroom.

Cosette's eyes went wide. "Is he injured? What has become of my Marius?"

Valjean laughed gently. "No, no, Cosette. Maius is fine now."

"Now?" Cosette's voice still had an edge of fear to it. "Was he not fine before?"

"Marius was at the barricades. Undoubtedly he could see no point in his life with you leaving."

"Did he get hurt? Oh, my goodness, my Marius!" she pouted prettily. "So he is alright? May I see him?"

Valjean laughed another friendly laugh and replied, "Marius will be fine. He is fine. He just needs to rest for a little while. Do not overwhelm him." In truth Valjean had not been inside the room since he had brought Marius back from the barricades. He had gone to ask for a physician, then had sat at the kitchen table while the doctor examined Marius, and waited until he could get information on the boys condition.

She pouted even more so, a famous pout that no one can resist, and it melted the old mans heart. "Very well. You may go in and see him. Just do not excite him, my dear. If he is asleep do not wake him."

Cosette placed a kiss on her fathers' forehead and said. "I will behave, father." And with that, she not so much skipped into the guest bedroom, but she surely had a bounce in her step.

She opened the door slowly at first, turning the knob with care, trying to keep sound at a minimum, in case her love was asleep.

She smiled at that familiar tuft of dark, curly hair atop Marius' head. He was obviously asleep; eyelids closed, a slight sound coming from him (probably a snore), and he was lying back on the bed.

She approached cautiously, on tiptoe. She sat at his side on the bed, and placed a hand delicately on his head, absent mindedly stroking his hair while staring into space. She was frightened a little when he moved slightly, and was torn out of her distant state of thought.

Cosette looked down at Marius…wait a second. She moved the hair from him face. Hold on. This wasn't Marius. She began to panic and rubbed her eyes, praying to God that she was dreaming (something we've seen someone do previously in the story...).

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Then…the poor darling screamed. She shook her head and screamed once more, horror shooting through her relentlessly. She backed up, unaware that she would be hitting the wall or some piece of furniture soon, crying "Marius! Marius!"

The wall came first and she was pressed against it. And she was still screaming. By this time, Valjean had heard the screams of Cosette and was hurrying into the room.

He threw the door ajar, and ran to Cosette, who was cowering against the wall. 'Marius' had awakened and was looking wildly from the hollering Cosette to the concerned Valjean and back.

Then…Cosette fainted. She was in so much shock that her body just gave out on her, and she fell to the ground.

Valjean was horrified, and took off to care for Cosette. 'Marius' looked completely and utterly confused, and was beginning to close his eyes and lay back down, muttering something to himself.

Valjean carried Cosette out of the room, leaving a concerned 'Marius' behind. Valjean had not even cast a single glance 'Marius'' way when he entered the room, such was his intent to help Cosette.

And Montparnasse sat on the bed in the guest bedroom, wondering where he was, why he was there, and most importantly, he wondered: Who the hell was Marius?