One Life For Another

"Monsieur Felix de Tholomyes, at your service," the attorney said courteously.

"Chetta, my dear, wherever did you find him?" Joly asked his mistress.

Musichetta cuffed him half-concernedly, half-playfully. "When you pushed me out of the crowd, I ran to the university, hoping to find Combeferre. I found him though. He'd just finished settling some business. Oh, I knew you'd catch it, Patrice! Don't do that to me again! And my God, Cosette, what are you doing here?"

"Unlike the cold I doubt arrests are contagious," Courfeyrac grinned at her.

Musichetta glared at him and at Enjolras. "That was awfully reckless! What were you thinking?"

Cosette, who by this time had recovered her wits, ran up to Musichetta and Tholomyes. "Monsieur, you're a lawyer?" she said to Tholomyes.

The corpulent attorney squinted when he saw Cosette. "Yes I am, mademoiselle. Or I wouldn't be here. I'm from Toulouse, but I have business in Paris."

Musichetta nodded grimly. "Monsieur Tholomyes, we did talk about three people. What of a fourth?" she asked.

"You mean to also arrange for the release of the girl?" Javert asked her and Tholomyes.

"Yes, of course. She has no place here," Tholomyes said. He glanced at Cosette again as he said this. "She's just a child."

Cosette looked at all of them, then at Valjean, who had been silently looking on while clutching the shoulder where the guard had hit him. "What of a fifth?" she asked in a small voice.

"Now what's all this about?" Musichetta asked confusedly.

Cosette pointed to Valjean. "Him...he's the man who I told you about. He's my father, Musichetta!" she said.

"You're joking, Cosette," Musichetta said. "Your father, a convict?"

Enjolras cleared his throat. "She's telling the truth."

Javert glanced from Cosette to Valjean. "You had a daughter all this time? Or...no, this cannot be that woman's child...that girl from Montreuil-sur-mer." he said in disbelief.

Valjean did not say anything to Javert, but he approached Tholomyes slowly. "You have to arrange her release. She has done no wrong," he said slowly to the attorney.

"Valjean, you haven't answered my question," Javert said crossly. "That woman...her name was..."

If anyone there had been able to read into the movement of Valjean's pallid lips, they would have realized that the convict had mumbled a name 'Fantine'. However, as it was, Valjean merely looked Javert and Cosette in the eye. "Yes, Cosette is her daughter," he said.

Tholomyes clapped Javert on the shoulder and nodded to Musichetta. "Do we have to discuss this with the Prefect?" the attorney asked.

"My God, that will take too long!" Musichetta gasped.

Javert sighed even as he rubbed at his temples. "She's just a minor, and the evidence is insufficient. I suppose we will have to let her go then. And the others..."

"I brought money for bail. I'm here for them," Musichetta said firmly.

"Chetta, what about my father?" Cosette begged.

"He's in prison for a different crime, apparently. I can do nothing, mademoiselle," Tholomyes said, his voice turning a little strained.

"I won't go then!" Cosette declared. She met Valjean's eyes. "Please, won't you come with us?"

"I'll stay as surety, till this is arranged properly..." Enjolras offered.

"Enjolras, don't do this!" Courfeyrac protested. "You're no use in prison. I'll do it."

Tholomyes shook his head. "As noble as you think you're acting, you're only complicating things for yourself and the ladies. I'd take the permit, if I were you."

Valjean put a hand on Cosette's shoulder. "Go with them, Cosette," he said slowly, as if he was trying to keep something back in his voice.

"But father---" Cosette began bitterly.

Valjean gave her a rueful look. "How old...how old were you on your last birthday?"

"Thirteen."

"You look so much like your mother now...I thought it would take four more years for that to happen," Valjean said in a low voice.

Cosette nodded, understanding this statement. "I don't want to go! Please, father, will I ever see you again?"

"Soon, I should hope," Valjean said, turning away. "Go now, Cosette."

Musichetta tapped Cosette's shoulder. "We must hurry," she said, trying to blink back her own tears. "Don't make things harder than they already are."

Cosette nodded in anguish and stifled her sobs with her hands even as she followed Musichetta, Tholomyes, Enjolras, Joly, and Courfeyrac out into the street. All the way to the street corner, no one in the party dared to say a single thing.

Once they were far away from La Force, Tholomyes stopped and looked at Cosette's face intently. "You said that man...Valjean...was your father?" he asked.

"Yes, M'sieur," Cosette said quietly.

"And your mother was from Montreuil-sur-mer?" Tholomyes asked almost bewildered.

"She's dead now."

"Monsieur Tholomyes, what is this all about?" Joly asked.

The lawyer took a deep breath. "She reminded me of an old acquaintance of mine, here in Paris," he said. "Come now, we'd better get away from this place."

"And celebrate Patrice's birthday better!" Musichetta said. "Oh, you're all invited, of course. Cosette, what of Montparnasse, by the way?"

Briefly, Cosette relayed Montparnasse's message. "I shall miss him dreadfully though," she concluded, managing a smile despite the tears that thereatened to spill from her blue eyes.