Perspective: Part 1
After getting everyone settled in, Enjolras quickly busied himself with trying to finish the papers and schoolwork he'd put off for two weeks. He had to make sure to hide away all the political tracts and discourses he'd been reading as part of his work with politics and the revolution.
As he wrote, he did not hear the doors opening and shutting behind him, or the laughter of the young Thenardiers. He was vaguely aware of Combeferre grabbing a sheet of paper from a nearby table, and later of his friend reminding him that he had to eat dinner some time in the evening.
It was late at night when Enjolras put down his pen and looked around the now quiet flat. His eyes felt like they were on fire, and his fingers were numb. "Combeferre and Joly are right. I might be working too hard," he thought as he stretched and put aside his papers.
Combeferre, who was still working at a table, smiled at him cheerily. "About time you stopped,"
"I had to finish. Or Professor Blondeau will give me more work to do," Enjolras replied wearily. His hands shook as he got himself a glass of water.
"The price we pay," Combeferre remarked. "If all goes well, and we all finish our studies, we'll be free to do more than we can do now,"
"I can't wait for that day, Francois," Enjolras said, managing a smile.
Combeferre nodded sympathetically. "Get some sleep, Antoine. By the way, I let the two little boys use my bed. And Eponine is borrowing yours. Gavroche wanted the bench, so that leaves us the floor,"
Enjolras was too tired to complain, but he couldn't resist glaring at his friend before going to change out of his clothes. He heard someone stir nearby, and he looked up to see Eponine tossing and turning in her sleep. Her flowing brown hair was splayed across the pillows, and she murmured something incoherently.
Enjolras tried not to listen to her as he rummaged for his things, but he couldn't help but hear names: "Montparnasse," "Papa," "Mama," and "Azelma".
"Where is her father anyway? Does he even know that four of his children are here?" he wondered.
He made a resolution in the morning to ask Eponine about it. Even if it would be difficult, he had to get to the bottom of the mystery. More urgently though, he would have to help her find some place to live. Six people living in two rooms was proving to be trying.