Chapter 20

The Kindness of Strangers

Erik Mansart

I heard the voice coming from behind the door, and for the first time in my adult life I began to panic. Whoever these people were they had better not hurt my angel she had been through quite enough for one day. The door opened and the man came out, he was massive, bigger than Hunchback and Crooked Jaw put together. He seemed at least nine feet tall and I thought I was tall at six feet two inches high, but compared to this man I was a dwarf. The newcomer was as big as a wall, and reminded me of Jack's giant from the fairytales I had read to Christine when she was a child.

He looked down at me and I froze as I recalled the altercation from earlier and if the back of my neck had the hairs a normal man's did they would have stood on end. I stared at him for a moment, looking up at the man in fear, if he was anything like those ruffians in the street I knew we were in serious trouble. I was strong there was no need to deny that but this man could snap me in half if he wished and worse he had a reason. We were on his property, and I was with a normal looking woman who was not accepted and treated as the outcast, and it was obvious that we had been there all night.

I did not know what would happen next but I hoped and prayed that he would not hurt us. I was too tired to wrestle giants and Christine was too pregnant to risk damaging the babies. Not that I cared…well I did but…oh hell I was in love with my children. The more I spent time with Christine and the happier she was with the idea of my children the more I wanted them to come. I found that those last days on the boat after she had saved me from taking my own life that I had made her have two lives with me and that they and she were totally and irrevocably mine.

She had spent the last day on the boat making me sit with her with my hand on her belly, feeling them move and tending her. I had spent just one day tending her, wrapping hot water cloths around her belly, and singing to them periodically when they rolled over in impatience for wanting attention. It was strange that in that one day when she had me taking care of her I fell so quickly in love with my children. Where I had dreaded their birth at first and only allowed her to keep them to make her happy I was suddenly eager for them to be here.

With them on the way and my wife and I on our way to start a new life together I had at last begun to feel like a normal man. But then yesterday happened and now I had the fear of a man who had something to lose. This was a new concept for me as I was used to fending for myself and knew myself to be no hero protecting the innocent and yet here I was stranded in a foreign land. I was here now and with me was not one, not two but three at least helpless people who needed me to protect them.

A responsibility I had never had and was unprepared for if I was to be completely honest with myself. No one had ever needed me before and much less in such a helpless way and even then my wife was seldom helpless. If anything she made me feel as humble a child with how strong she was even when faced with my instability and my demons. Christine was always there weathering it with a smile and a kiss not taking my orders for her to leave me but now she would pay for it. She should not be here with me, she should be at the Chagny château, with her boy and her feet tucked up by the fire.

Having all the luxury she wanted and preparing to have beautiful blonde-haired blue eyed children to carry the line. Christine should have been there with him, dreaming of her beautiful children with no chance of a deformity but still a chance of having the music from their mother and a certainty of good looks. Good looks, and comfort and wealth, why couldn't she be content with that?

But my Christine was a hopeless romantic who used her heart over her good sense. She was too stubborn to take comfort over true love. As much as I was in love with her for the first time I wished she had loved the boy as she claimed or at least hated me like she said. If she did not love the very least she could have done was not love me so much. If she had hated me even a little bit she might have staid warm and safe. If not then I should have been strong enough to send her away and lived with the knowledge that though we could never be together she loved me.

Oh how I wished I was strong enough to send her away but I was selfish and wanted to fulfill my own dreams rather than forcing her to choose the life that was best for her. Now that I think about it, I would have had to do the unthinkable and break her will too in order to make her listen. It would not have mattered what I said otherwise, my angel was far too stubborn when she wanted something bad enough. If she wanted me bad enough then she would have me and it did not matter the struggle or the consequences.

She had not thought about them when she had left me for the boy, and had not thought about them when she had returned. Christine never thought ahead and though I did not condemn her for much this was quite frankly the one thing about her I could not stand. I understand that she is only sixteen and her youth makes her more likely to fantasize about what she wants rather than analyze the situation but sometimes I really wished she would think her actions through before acting on them. If her youth was her excuse than what was mine? I am just as bad and do not have the youngness of adolescence to blame.

I was a grown man who had lived more than three-and-a-half decades on this wretched earth and yet I was irrational than she was. When she did not get her way she simply pursued the object of her desires till she achieved her goal. I had gone into such a rage that I had killed people, and nearly killed an important member of the aristocracy. I was so childish that I had literally thrown a killer tantrum, the only excuse I can give is my rage toward the world for treating me the way they did. When she had left me I thought that made me grow up and be man enough to let her go. I was wrong. It was clear to me now that I was just as bad as my wife, just as reckless and determined and irrational, it made me smile a little.

Christine lived in the moment and always had since the first time I had sent her to the stage. She thought nothing of the future and followed her heart even though her mind told her that she would regret it later. It seemed that when she had met me and supposedly fallen in love with her angel it had fostered not only her sexual awakening but fostered a spirit in her that none would expect of such a beauty. They would expect, as the Vicomte had, for her to be little Lotte. The sweet innocent child fond of dolls and chocolate and riddles of goblins and shoes, how I wished that I had kept her naive, innocent and not this stubborn strong headed wildcat.

Because now her stubbornness had gotten her hurt and she was homeless injured, freezing and pregnant. And because of that pregnancy she was naturally reverting back to her gentle nature. Now she needed me to protect her and our children in this odd land with a tinny language lacking in beauty, one I had only learned so I could read the great epics of William Shakespeare. She was rightly terrified and as she leaned on me for strength I knew that I would have to be the one to protect my family from all harm. Whether it is illness, childish fears or strangers, I had to keep them safe at any and all costs.

I was for the first time in my thirty-six years I was scared of my own inability to do so. More so now I was scared that this huge man would hurt them, and if that happened then everything would be over because I would murder the man on the spot. Then Christine would be left alone to fend for herself with the children where she didn't speak the language and was all alone. God only knew what would happen to her then as there was apparently only one profession meant for women of earthly beauty around here.

I cringed at the thought of my wife selling herself to these people who were after her for the status of having had sex with someone who wasn't deformed. It made me sick to my stomach at the thought of her making love to, no I grimaced making love implied that she loved the person she was coupling with and if it wasn't me then she did love them so she was not making love. What she was doing was far worse, what she was doing was fornicating with random men while my children waited crying for mother to come in at night.

A tear came to me eye as I thought of how bad this was, if we had sons they would learn that women were desperate whores. This would teach them to treat women poorly and then they would grow up to be abusive to women and not the proper gentlemen they should be. Worse yet, what if they were daughters and saw their mother doing these things, they would emulate her and good god only knows what would happen then if my daughters were joined in the oldest profession as their mother had been forced to do. For my children's sake I hoped that this man was friendly and that no violence occurred as I looked down at my sleeping wife who was snoring away into my soaking shoulder.

"Hello," the voice again and this time I spoke.

"Down here." I said and he bent his boulder of a bald head to look at us.

"What are you doing here?" He boomed.

"How did you know we were out here?" I asked.

"Well you woke us up, what with your leaning against the door you know." Grumped the giant, with a loud yawn, "Now I repeat for the last time what are you doing here."

"I'm sorry," I blathered. "My wife and I have no place to go and she's pregnant and…"

Just then as the huge man was about to speak and throw us off his porch I am certain another person came to the door. The newcomer was a short woman who would have been mistaken for a child if it were not for her endowments and full lips. I blinked and knew in that moment that I was looking at a midget something I had only seen in books and at the freak shows tossing one another high in the air as though they were toys. She was one of the people that was called, 'the human dollies' and were juggled by giant men like this for normal people's amusement.

Yet here they were, standing side by side living together in apparent peace and harmony as she smiled at him before jumping up on a sofa I saw out of the corner out of my eye. She giggled and took a running leap as she jumped up on the huge man's shoulders to get a better look before gasping and scurrying out to look at us like we were some great novelty or another. Christine woke up when she felt the tiny person's breath on her face and started at the sight of Giant Man guarding Midget from us, these strangers on the porch.

"Erik who are they?" Christine asked in French.

"Come again?" Giant Man boomed, raising his thick eyebrow.

"She wants to know who you are…" I said.

Midget clapped her hands gleefully, "I am Matilda but everyone calls me Fleck, my last name, and this is Fabious everyone calls him Squelch." she said in perfect French

"You can speak my language?" Christine asked.

"Of course I can!" she giggled, "Fabious can't though, big lug refuses to learn French." She slapped him playfully on the arm.

"Oof!" the man Squelch said, "Mattie must u hit me on the arm?" he said in English rubbing the spot.

Though it was clear that she did not understand his rubbing the hit place was enough to get the message across and Matilda laughed so hard she fell over. I had to smile, because the huge man had an ear to ear grin on his face as he raised his eyebrows at her. Christine looked up at me and smiled and I had to grin back because this was truly adorable to think that such a tiny person could injure such a huge hulking figure of a man. We knew it hadn't really hurt but the way he had asked the question was so childish as though he were talking to a baby.

"Aww look, the big bad giant got a boo-boo!" Matilda chortled in French.

He looked at me, "What did she say? He asked.

I recited what he said and Christine and I laughed but Fabious pouted with his large puffy lips and rubbing his arm pathetically. She laughed at him and kissed his arm, patting his arm before looking down at us again curiously. I was so tired and as cute as this was I did not want to be stared at, I wanted them to go back inside and leave us alone or call the authorities to take us away so I could sleep in either a cell cot or in my wife's arms. Preferably the first option but either one would do as long as they went the hell away.

But Christine sneezed hard and was still shivering and Matilda noticed the baby bulge growing inside her. She paled and pulled the door opened all the way to reveal a large sitting room with a cheerful blaze burning in the hearth. It looked warm and cozy and I wanted to take Christine inside and wrap her up with a steamy cup of tea. Feed her hot broth and make that sneeze go away, then another thing scared me, I had dropped our bags and belongings in that brawl and she had no dry clothes…forty-eight hours in those sopping clothes and she would surely catch her death.

For some reason being with her had made me weak in the heart and made the tears come almost on cue. I felt my eyes water as I thought of how sick she was going to get and how I had no money for a doctor. I had seen it happen before many times when a cold, left untreated became pneumonia or worse the consumption. If that happened I would surely lose her and with my bad health catch it as well and then the whole family would die, that meant that not only will I have taken Christine away from her comfort and put her in danger but killed her as well.

The thought made weep harder and Christine reached up to wipe her nose with her left hand and squeezed my right hand with her own. Fleck looked at me closer and her eyes were gentle as she disappeared into the house for a long time and then returned, as Squelch came forward and took Christine from my arms easily, she looked at me frantically and struggled a little but he overpowered her easily. The fear in her eyes was plain as day and I was not about to let this Neanderthal carry my wife off like that… oh god my worse fear was realized this man was a ruffian intending to carry her off and do god only knew what to my terrified angel.

Just as I was about to launch myself at the man the midget girl –Fleck- placed a hand on my knee and said softly, "It is all right, I told him to take her inside so she could lay down on a warm bed."

I was suspicious, "Why?" I asked slowly.

"Let's just say I've been in the same boat you have." She said and then taking one look at my exhausted face advised. "You should go with her and get some sleep."

I paused stunned by her generosity, "Oh…"

She mistook my pause for hesitation, "We only have one bed." She said apologetically.

I was at a loss for words, I finally stammered, "That's fine, thank you."

"No problem," she said, looking relieved "You shouldn't be on the streets at night with someone like her."

I nodded, remembering the way she had been treated yesterday and went to head to the room where I saw Squelch leaving her. Fleck followed me as I went into the dimly lit room where Christine lay and kissed her belly and her forehead. The shocked look on Fleck's face was not lost on me and I nodded answering the question in her eyes before flashing the rings. She nodded and then I noticed that Christine was naked on the bed and I turned to her angrily. How dare she allow that hulking man to undress my angel when she was ill and could not protest because we had nowhere to go…how dare he take such an unfair advantage of her.

Fleck noted where I was looking and shook her head, "don't worry," she said, "I got you a robe to put on her. Her dress was soaked and we had to get her out of it. I got you one too."

I raised my one eyebrow, "robes?" I echoed dumbly too tired to say much else.

"Yes 'robes' silly, there Squelch's I'd give her mine but I am too small."

I looked at the robes; they were both enormous, the size of gypsy circus tents. One was red the other white, I selected the white one for myself and carefully slipped my drowsy lover into the red. Fleck was watching us with teary eyes as Christine sleepily lay on my chest and kissed my heart. I smiled and tucked her under the blankets petting her head. She smiled and sank into the pillow, her poor back no doubt grateful for the softness of the mattress beneath her. Her eyes were closed again and Fleck smiled as Christine's breathing slowed.

"Good night angel." I whispered, then turning to Fleck I cleared my throat, "A little privacy please." I said as gently as I could.

"Oh." The tiny woman blushed, "of course," and scurried out of the room.

When I was certain she was well out of seeing distance I untied my slacks and dropped them, pulling my undergarments off because they were soaked through like my slacks. I did not feel entirely comfortable with my nudity in this stranger's house but I did not have a choice. If I left my underclothes on, sopping as they were I might get a rash. I stepped out in my pelt and got the huge robe, slipping into it and being instantly drowned in the white fabric as though it were the red sea. It was too big for me but it would have to do for now. I had to roll the sleeves six times to see my hands but it was dry and warm so I couldn't complain.

A loud boom came behind me and I turned to see it was Squelch knocking for entrance, "Come in." I said.

"Just came to get your clothes, they need to dry off." He said.

I nodded, hearing Christine finally snoring peacefully although the cough she had was something nasty already. I wanted nothing more to get into bed with her and hold her close while the world blacked out. But I had to wait while the man yawned and scratched his bald head, before turning to me with a curious look.

"Hey…" he said gently

"Hay is for stallions." I said and he laughed his huge belly shaking.

"You know our names but we don't know yours." He said,

I did not know whether to tell them my name as no one had ever asked me that before. But they had been so kind to us that I figured it was the least I could do. "Erik and Christine Mansart," I said.

He raised his eyebrows but did not question us, at least not yet, instead he said, "Nice to meet you Erik," he offered what I assumed was a smile; "you must be tired huh." I nodded and he smiled, "well good night then!"

That was the last thing he said to me that night, we shook hands and then he rather unceremoniously stomped up the hall. I heard him go into his room or wherever it was he slept and then silence, other than the closing of the door. After that the only sounds were those of the rain pattering the windows like the fingers of Poseidon, monotonous drumming that was somehow rhythmic and gentle at the same time. As if he were bored and creating some kind of makeshift percussion music to entertain himself, beautiful but endless in its entirety as it lead to nothing but back where it began. In the earth and clouds, stored away for the next time its master decided to entertain boredom.

That and my love's steadily rising snores. I sighed and climbed into the bed beside Christine, squinting at the clock and noticed it was 2 in the morning give or take three minutes. I wrapped my arms around her and sighed into her hair, drifting off to the sound of the driving rain. It seemed that for tonight at least my wife and I were safe and for a while we would be in the care of a kind stranger or two. But not for too long I hope, first thing tomorrow I shall find a job and get us some money and a place to live and raise our children. I will give her everything I could, but for tonight she was here with me where she belonged and the bed we were in was warm.

I snuggled closer to Christine's body and she sighed into my embrace, and for the first time I was reminded of an old bible story I had heard as a boy. The one about the Good Samaritan, who had saved that man when no one else would, perhaps Christine and I had stumbled on our own Samaritans on this stormy night. I yawned feeling myself relax; tomorrow I would worry about these Samaritans and their motives for helping us. There would be time enough tomorrow to worry over people and responsibilities.

But just as I was about to drift off I was stirred, "Erik?" it was Christine, calling to me as though she had been woken up by a thought.

"Hmm…what is it?" I asked groggily.

"Are we…safe?" she asked her voice thick with sleep too.

"Mmm-hmm…angel…go…asleep." I muttered. "We…need…go…sleep."

She laughed gently and kissed my nose before settling into my arms and closing her tired eyes again. I put my chin protectively over hers and allowed myself to drift off; there would be time to talk in the morning. Christine sighed and fitted closer to me, as long as she was by my side she was safe and we were both too sleepy to worry anymore tonight. So I let my mind go blank, not thinking about how even though we had found shelter for the night we were still technically homeless and had children on the way. Not thinking about everything I had been through or the challenges that lie ahead for us. I concentrated only on keeping my angel comfortable and decided for tonight I would sleep well. And what a well-deserved sleep it would be.