A/N: I am back! It's a long weekend, so I ought to get some time in to write this. The idea of the Amis having a newsletter was inspired by a_marguerite's awesome fic "Aunt Wodehouse Pays a Visit".
Review replies here:
Eponine Thenardier: Of course Enjolras will never get distracted from revolution. That's one thing we can always count on him for ; - )
Mam'zelleCombeferre: I hope I do the Amis' reactions justice in this chapter
Insanemistosingmore: Considering the secrecy required by the Amis' activities, I doubt the boys let their women know too much, unless they could be sure of their stances/opinions. Besides I imagine Courfeyrac being the sort who'd prefer to shield his lover from this kind of venture instead of getting her involved.
Acquaintance With Responsibility (VII)
"Did Courfeyrac honestly think he was going to keep a secret for that long?"
"Of course not, Combeferre. I imagine though that at that moment, he was not willing to have his personal life so exposed when he was not yet sure how to master it."
The young doctor nodded understandingly as he adjusted his green coat against the rising afternoon wind. "It must have been awkward for him to confide in you, of all people," he said to Enjolras.
"Not as awkward perhaps as he felt when you, Prouvaire and Bahorel found out," Enjolras pointed out before carefully looking up and down the Place Saint-Michel. "At any rate, some of the others probably have news of it by now."
Combeferre smiled grimly as they crossed the street. "Speaking of news, I just stopped by our printer. The newsletter is ready to be given out. It's almost unbelievable that Bossuet was able to get it printed," he said with a smile of quiet triumph as they entered the Rue de Gres.
"There are always reliable printers in the Fauborg Saint-Antoine, even for such inflammatory material" Enjolras said decisively as they reached the foot of the small stairway leading to the backroom. "Who can we count on to help us distribute the paper?"
"About twenty of us, you and me included," Combeferre reported. "We should have an easier time working in the Halles area since now both Feuilly and Courfeyrac have places nearby, where we can store some of the copies temporarily."
"The only difficulty now is getting the copies out of the printer's shop without attracting suspicion," Enjolras said pensively. "It will not do to have people going in and out of Citoyen Fabre's shop all day. We have to make as few trips as possible."
"Claudine and I can make one trip, complete with getting a cart for goods and the papers," Combeferre suggested. "As for other trips, I suppose we will just have to ask the rest for any ideas."
"Let's not delay in meeting them then," Enjolras said, now having reached the top of the staircase. He opened the door, and was greeted there by the sight of Prouvaire, Bahorel, Joly, and Feuilly all trying to talk to an obviously harried Courfeyrac. Bossuet was standing nearby, trying to keep Grantaire from butting in the conversation. There were other students and a few working men in the room. Some were looking on with interest but more of them were occupied in discussions of their own.
"Enjolras, Combeferre, you have to save me from this mob," Courfeyrac said pleadingly when he saw the newcomers.
"Mob? We were just advising you," Joly said, crossing his arms petulantly. "After all, you are the one she's going to ask help from in a few months!"
"I'm just the father, I'm not a goodwife or a doctor!" Courfeyrac retorted a little more loudly than was appropriate.
"If you had been intending to keep this matter quiet, you have completely undone it," Enjolras said firmly, putting a sympathetic hand on Courfeyrac's shoulder as he passed by to get to a chair.
"Much like the reeds with the tale of Midas' ears," Grantaire quipped.
"Can we discuss this matter later and perhaps in a more appropriate location?" Enjolras asked dryly. "It's about time we called this meeting to order," he added more loudly as he brought some papers out of his satchel.
In a few moments, all eyes were on him. Enjolras let the silence linger a moment longer before continuing. "As you all know by now, once again, the city of Paris is gripped in unrest. The time to act is not yet now, but these days are the opportunity we have to fan the flames. It's timely-our newsletter is ready to be distributed. We must see to this task immediately before water dampens the spark."
As he expected, this produced an undercurrent of activity in the room. Producing and disseminating a "dangerous" newsletter was one of the more brazen activities of their secret society; in its own way it was even more dangerous than covertly collecting arms or meeting with other underground groups.
"Tomorrow is a Wednesday. There is no better time to distribute at the Ecole Polytechnique," said Alain Foulon, a student who had somehow escaped that particular institution for the day.
Enjolras nodded in acknowledgment. "It's a busy day at the Sorbonne tomorrow, but so much the better to be handing out papers. The same as well for the courts, where I will be tomorrow to get news and give it," he said. "We can also count to be giving out the paper near the medical school, and over near Corinth and other cafes in Les Halles. What about the masons, Prouvaire?"
"We have leave from some of the masters," Prouvaire replied cryptically.
"There's Picpus. Definitely, we have Picpus," said a working man named Stendhal, shooting a meaningful glance at Combeferre.
"I will also need a person or two to simply visit Richefu's before noon tomorrow to bring the papers there before their meeting," Enjolras continued, picking up one of the papers he had, which turned out to be a list of places. After giving it a cursory look, he tore it carefully into small bits, which he folded up on the tabletop. "This particular edition is so sensitive, and the police's eyes have been so sharpened so that we must exercise more caution than usual. Hence the need for having to conceal where each other will be," he explained to the puzzled assembly.
"We won't be working alone, I hope?" Joly inquired.
"In pairs, as usual," Enjolras said, motioning for him and another student named Bayard to come forward. He unfolded one of the scraps of paper before pressing it into their hands. "Though of course, I know you are already aware where you ought to go?"
"Is it really wise?" said Bayard, glancing at Joly. "He will come back with something, for sure."
"Let's hope it does not kill me before I return to the Musain," Joly said dryly.
Enjolras shook his head, already very much used to Joly's complaints after the latter visited the medical school. After he distributed the rest of the papers in a similar fashion, he motioned for Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Feuilly, Prouvaire, Bahorel, Bossuet, and Joly to gather round. He also noticed that Grantaire had joined this circle, but he simply chose not to say anything about it.
"The other matter though before we can distribute the paper is how to get it out of Citizen Fabre's backroom and to places where we can rendezvous with the rest," he explained. "Now in the past it was simple to be seen carrying huge stacks of paper, but now we cannot risk being caught. I'd take charge of it myself, but I need to meet some of the leaders of the Friends of the People before I go to the Palais de Justice. Combeferre, if you and Citizenness Andreas are going through all that trouble, will it be dangerous still for the shop to be used as a rendezvous for those who will be distributing in the Latin Quarter?"
"As long as those who will meet us are discreet, there shouldn't be cause for complaints," Combeferre replied.
"I can pick up the papers that will be distributed in the Halles, but I cannot use my workplace as a rendezvous," Feuilly said.
"I'll do it then," Courfeyrac chimed in. "My place is close by too."
Enjolras bit his lip at this. "Trust Courfeyrac to volunteer for the more dangerous part of the operation," he thought. It was something he had hoped to exempt his busy friend from, but now it seemed as if there was no escaping this. "Won't you be wanted at the Rue des Macons?" he asked critically.
"I am sure that M. Drouet will not mind, especially if I settle it early enough in the day," Courfeyrac replied flippantly.
"Yes, but you will be going out to distribute the paper later in the day," Enjolras pointed out. "You cannot absent yourself twice in one day."
"And another thing Courfeyrac, what if you are caught? What will happen to your mistress, especially in her situation?" Joly asked.
Courfeyrac went livid for a moment. "Just because I will soon have a child to look after, that doesn't mean I should be exempt from doing what I can for the Republic," he answered with vitriol.
"Joly has a point," Bossuet argued. "Your luck is probably better than mine, but in these times, that is no protection."
"Besides, there will be other times where your help will be absolutely necessary, and we should wish to spare you for that," Combeferre added more kindly. "I know you are intrepid and you mean well, but let others rise to the occasion and take care of this business just for tomorrow."
"I'll go to the printer then," Bahorel volunteered. "It should keep me out of my classes for another day."
"And miss the opportunity for another Romantic caricature? How could you?" Prouvaire retorted in mock-horror.
"I must show mercy. My professor's visage has been abused enough," Bahorel replied with an otherwise convincing show of gravity.
Enjolras nodded resignedly. "You are in no risk of finding your studies abruptly discontinued from all your absences?" he asked his friend.
Bahorel shook his head. "I make sure to attend at least once."
"I never thought I'd see the day when you would be talking like a responsible working man, Enjolras," Feuilly said half-jokingly.
Enjolras gave the fanmaker a wry smile. "If only to understand and serve the abased a little better," he said before going to the table to look at the next bit of the agenda to be discussed. Even as he did so, he saw Courfeyrac sigh dejectedly and slump into a chair. Grantaire moved as if to talk to him, but the younger man waved him off.
"I'm sorry to do this, my friend," Enjolras thought before going to further discuss their plans. Throughout the remainder of the meeting, he sometimes saw Courfeyrac either listlessly looking over his own notes, or drinking one glass of wine after another, clearly trying to deal with his very unsettled state.
At the close of the gathering, just when the backroom was almost empty, Courfeyrac got to his feet but nearly fell against a table. "There. Even if I was set to fetch the papers myself, the gift of the vine would prevent me from doing so," he muttered.
"You're drunk, Courfeyrac," Enjolras said concernedly, going to help the younger man up. "Combeferre and I will see you home."
"All the way to the Rue de la Verrerie?" Courfeyrac asked, now practically leaning on Enjolras for support.
"Well why not? I may as well stay there if I am to go to the Fauborg Saint-Antoine first thing in the morning," Combeferre said candidly as he went to help Enjolras get their friend down the stairs.
"I am turning useless. First I do a terrible job of staying out of trouble, then I cannot keep my own secret, then I cannot be of use to the Republic, and now I cannot even get home on my own," Courfeyrac complained.
"You aren't useless!" Enjolras upbraided him. It was all too clear that the wine had loosened Courfeyrac's tongue so that he was now voicing out the frustrations he had been trying to rein in for the past few months.
"I'm not like you two," Courfeyrac said. "You two know how to keep your lives the epitomes of Republican virtue. Me? I'm struggling with that, and you have no idea how that makes me feel some times."
"We're just men as much as you are, Courfeyrac," Combeferre said firmly but gently. "Do not think that all of this makes you any less of a person or a friend. It never has, and it never will."
At this, Courfeyrac practically sagged against his friends. "Thank you," he said almost unintelligibly before turning to be sick all over the stairs.