A Question of Education
The next three days were no different for anyone else besides the Pontmercys. However, that very same week, a sort of disturbance was set to happen among the tenants of 28 Rue Richelieu.
Sometime at around noon, Courfeyrac went out on an errand that brought him to the area of the Rue Clocheperce. When he was about to leave the street, he caught sight of a portly police inspector berating and shaking three young boys.
"What seems to be the matter, Inspector?" Courfeyrac asked the officer mildly.
Inspector Dufour turned to glare at the law student. "These three gamins were making a disturbance. Look, one of them even stole a cake of soap!"
"To turn it into a cake of bread. It's just a run!" Gavroche scowled at the inspector. The boy grinned up at Courfeyrac. "And I see my representation!"
"Will you help us?" Neville asked Courfeyrac, his eyes widening with fear.
"Monsieur, I will take care of these boys. They won't cause trouble again; I'll stand for it," Courfeyrac said.
"I could let them go, for a certain bit for all my troubles," Dufour said, smiling knowingly.
"Wait till the payday!" Gavroche muttered, managing to get out of Dufour's grip.
"I won't pay a bribe," Courfeyrac said firmly, taking Jacques and Neville by the hand.
Dufour glared at him. "I don't want to see any of you on my watch again. Make sure of that," the inspector said, letting go of the children and then adjusting his coat.
Courfeyrac hurriedly led them away in the direction of M. Ravigard's bookshop. "Now what were you all doing out here?" he asked when Dufour was out of sight.
"Taking the air," Gavroche said.
"Haven't anything else to do," Neville piped up, putting a comforting arm around Jacques' shoulders.
Courfeyrac sighed. "I don't know what your sister is going to say, but I doubt she'll be happy."
"She'd do the same if her fingers were nimble," Gavroche said.
As fate would have it, Eponine was seated on the stoop of the shop. Crumbs dotted her skirt, and she was rather engrossed in reading a well-worn book.
"Mademoiselle..." Courfeyrac greeted with a smile.
Eponine looked up from her reading and her eyes widened. "What are you all doing here?"
"He got us out of the police!" Jacques chirped.
Courfeyrac shrugged. "A police inspector claimed he caught them causing trouble, and stealing soap."
Eponine put down her book worriedly. "What am I going to do with the three of you?" she asked her brothers.
"I'm tired of staying in the flat," Gavroche said. "Nothing much to do except play with the same things. The street is more interesting,"
Eponine shook her head. "Well, that does it. I'm not letting you run about only to end up in the prisons. You're getting an education, and I will see to that."
"In a proper school? Ponine, whatever for?" Gavroche asked.
"Papa and Maman taught me and Azelma," Eponine said. "Papa is somewhere, Maman is dead. So now it's my turn. But since I have to get our bread, I'm going to have to leave it to the schools to deal with you by day."
Courfeyrac picked up the book that Eponine had been reading. "The Social Contract?"
The working girl laughed weakly. "I borrowed it."
Courfeyrac shook his head in disbelief. "Enjolras lent it to you?"
"He just pulled it off his bookshelf when I was looking for something to read. Don't know what he was thinking."
Courfeyrac nodded and handed the book back to her. "I have to go. Good day, Mademoiselle," he said gallantly before going back towards the Palais de Justice.
Eponine sighed and looked at her brothers. "You three are staying here. And after I finish, I'm going to ask Muschietta to watch you for a bit."
"Whatever for?"
"I need to find some more work."
