A Command of Responsibility

"Mademoiselle, would you excuse me?"

Eponine looked up from her reverie, straight into the face of a tall man standing in the street outside the bookshop. This young fellow was dressed in an army officer's uniform, and he had an amused smile on his face.

"Oh. What would you want to go in for?" Eponine asked, reluctant to move. from her seat on the doorstep. "It is just a bookshop."

The officer gave her a curious look "I have an errand to run, Mademoiselle."

Eponine stared at him, wondering at the strange familiarity this young man's face had. "You remind me of someone," she said quietly.

"Who might that be?"

"A friend. His name is Marius Pontmercy."

The officer laughed. "He is my cousin. My name is Theodule."

"And I'm Eponine." the girl said, smiling amiably. "I just came from visiting Monsieur Marius. I think he has company now though."

"Company?" Theodule asked. "We'll see about that. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mademoiselle Eponine."

"And you too!" Eponine said cheerily, getting up to go before she became in great danger of saying something she'd regret.
The rest of the day passed very slowly, made only more oppressive by the summer heat.

"At least it's still light out," Enjolras thought as he arrived back on the Rue de Richelieu after class. It was late afternoon, but he figured it was still safe enough to finish up the rest of the errands he had to accomplish.

"There's that debate about a Constitution...about who should draft what, or whether there should be one at all," he said to himself. He shook his head. At his age, he knew that he was not the best candidate for the leadership of the Republic, but he knew that his role in the uprising almost thrust him into a position of authority.

"Perhaps a Constitution would not be so bad, that is if it can be ensured that the rights of all will be protected. Laws will have to be made, but if people do not follow..." he mused. He made a note to read up on Rousseau and Locke the first chance he got. A convention was likely to be called any day,

Gavroche and Neville were playing on the stairs when he entered the tenement. "Look Monsieur! I've gotten faster than he is!" Neville exclaimed from the top of the stairs, where he'd overtaken Gavroche.

Enjolras stepped out of the way to let Gavroche climb the stairs. "Be careful, both of you," he said to the boys.

Gavroche made a face. "These stairs won't fall under me!" he grinned, stepping on a rather creaky tread.

"Is Combeferre home yet?" Enjolras asked.

Gavroche and Neville exchanged a look. "No, but our sister is." Gavroche said after a few moments.

"At least I can get one thing done." Enjolras thought. He steeled himself to knock on the door.

"Go away, Gavroche!" Eponine shouted from inside.

"It's not Gavroche here," Enjolras replied, trying not to sound too irritated.

Moments later, Eponine opened the door, looking very abashed. "Oh it's you, Monsieur Enjolras. You're back quite early," she said.

Enjolras nodded politely. "Mademoiselle, do you recall what I said about finding some occupation for you?"

"Well, yes?" Eponine asked. "What can I do that won't strain my hand?"

"There's a vacancy in a bookshop, not too far away." Enjolras said, entering the flat in order to set down his books. "You can write, you can read, so you might find this to your liking."

Eponine nodded., apparently trying to make sense of Enjolras' news. "So...we're going to see to that now?"

"Yes." Enjolras replied. "Before the evening."

Eponine quickly smoothed down her dress and ran her hands through her hair. "Do I look fine, Monsieur Enjolras?"

"Presentable." Enjolras said. He tried to keep a straight face as he recalled Courfeyrac's comment. "Not pretty...definitely not!" he reminded himself as he let Eponine walk out the door ahead of him.

On their way down, they ran into Combeferre. "Where are you both going?" the medical student asked.

"That bookshop we talked about." Enjolras replied.

Combeferre smiled. "I just came from there, and I mentioned Eponine's case to the owner M. Ravigard. He said that he'd like to meet her as soon as possible, and it's likely that he'll give her that job."

"So much the better. Could you come with us?" Enjolras asked.

Combeferre nodded. "Let me put my books upstairs first."

"You're a real friend, Francois." Enjolras said.

Combeferre chuckled. "I know you wouldn't want to walk with her alone anyway," he said in an undertone to Enjolras as he went up the stairs.
The three young people took a fiacre back to the Rue de Filles du Calvaire. Eponine almost started when she realized where her new workplace was going to be. "I'll be near Monsieur Marius!" she realized as the fiacre turned the corner.

M. Ravigard, a spindly gentleman of forty, was waiting for them. "So is this the young lady you mentioned?" he asked Combeferre almost as soon as the latter came into sight.

Combeferre nodded. "Yes. Mademoiselle Thenardier, I'd like to introduce Monsieur Ravigard. Monsieur Ravigard, I'd like you to meet Mademoiselle Eponine Thenardier---"

"Thenardier?" M. Ravigard asked suspiciously. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

Eponine bit her lip as she tried to conceal her anxiety. "Does it really matter, Monsieur?" she asked.

M. Ravigard shook his head. "No. Not at all, Mademoiselle. I was just wondering where I heard it before."

The rest of the interview went well, and by the end of the hour, Eponine was assured of her situation. "Eight o'clock tomorrow, Mademoiselle," M. Ravigard said to her before she left.

Enjolras and Combeferre exchanged relieved looks as they exited the shop. "We're lucky that M. Ravigard is understanding," Combeferre said. It was already dark, and the streetlamps were being lit.

Enjolras glanced at his friend, then at Eponine. "Most men would not take on a woman so easily. Perhaps if only situations for employment would be fairer..."

He was interrupted by Eponine's hand on his arm. "Oh look there! Marius' cousin---Monsieur Theodule!" the girl called to someone across the street.

Enjolras and Combeferre looked to see Theodule hurrying towards them. "Mademoiselle Eponine! What brings you here at this hour?" the officer said. "And you're with these two Republicans?"

"Well, I...we... had an errand to run." Eponine said quickly.

Combeferre extended a hand to Theodule. "I'm Combeferre. You are?"

"Seargent Theodule of the King's army." Theodule replied stiffly.

"And I'm Enjolras." the law student said cordially by way of introduction.

Eponine smiled. "So how was your day, Monsieur Theodule?"

"Well enough." Theodule said. "Wouldn't you know! My cousin is seeing that lovely lady I had my eye on so long ago."

"The lovely lady...Cosette?" Eponine asked incredulously.

"Is that her name? She is not as charming as you are, Mademoiselle. She seems rather...insipid," Theodule said, turning up his nose.

Eponine laughed softly. "And where do you go to now?"

"To dinner." Theodule said. "I'd ask you to join me, that is if your companions would not mind---"

Enjolras raised an eyebrow. "Eponine, what of your brothers?"

"We can go by for them..." Eponine said, trailing off as the awkwardness of the situation began to sink in. She managed an innocent smile. "Perhaps you gentlemen should settle it among yourselves..."

"Then we shall go to dinner with Monsieur Theodule. There is barely anything back home tonight, anyway." Combeferre said. "That is, if you would not mind coming with us. We need to fetch three children we cannot leave alone."

"Children?" Theodule sputtered.

Eponine turned red. "My brothers."

"Oh." Theodule said. "Well then, let's not waste time. I'd hate to delay a good evening."

Enjolras shook his head as he hailed a fiacre. "I have this feeling that I'm going to have to assume responsibility for something later..." he said to Combeferre.

"That's why there are two of us," Combeferre said. "Antoine, you should get out more. Perhaps this evening should be more dignified than that time at Musain when Bahorel and Bousset both got out of hand..."

Enjolras cringed. "It took much convincing for the proprietress to let us back in. That's one good thing that Grantaire did; brought back our back room."

"You could give credit where it is due," Combeferre said.

"Perhaps." Enjolras said as a fiacre drew up. He stepped aside to let Eponine enter first. Theodule slipped in beside her, leaving Combeferre to take the seat across. Enjolras took the seat nearest the door.

"Monsieur, Twelve Rue de Richelieu," he said.