A/N: Sorry if I didn't make this clear in the first chapter, but the point
of this project was to write a narrative of the musical, so it would be
rather difficult to do that without using lyrics. Sorry if that bugs you,
but the rest is written pretty much the same way.
=========
**Eponine**
I was waiting for Marius outside the Café Musain, where he and his student friends would gather after their classes. I was slowly getting the impression that they were planning more than a study group.
The students flooded out of the café with an excited fervor that almost frightened me. I spotted Marius as he ran past, and ran to catch his arm. "Marius," I whispered. He looked down at me, apparently surprised to see me again. "Come with me, hurry."
I pulled him away, taking him down a dark side street.
"Eponine, where are you taking me?" he demanded. I didn't reply.
We came out of the alley into a wide cul-de-sac, where there was only one lonely, dark house, the front gate of which was shut.
"This is it." I said. "Fifty-five Rue Plumet. I've done as you asked me."
Marius looked over at the gate and them back at me, his gaze genuinely grateful. "Oh, thank you, 'Ponine!" he said, his boyish face bright. I nodded sadly and watched him run towards the gate and disappear over it. After he was gone, I slumped against the wall of the alley. "He was never mine to lose." I mused quietly, almost amused at my own silliness.
**Marius**
I cleared the gate and stood there in the garden for a moment, staring in awe at the young lady who was sitting on her bench with her back to him. She did not seem away of my approach. Her white dress reflected off the street lamp on the other side of the gate, and I was certain that the aura that seemed to surround her was coming directly from God Himself. I thought that I would burst into song, and perhaps the sound that came out of my throat then was a failed attempt.
The young lady stood up and whiled around. There was surprise in her beautiful eyes, but not fear. She seemed to smile at me, even. I again tried to speak, but my voice failed me. She stared at me, as if waiting for me to speak.
Finally I somehow managed to choke out some feeble words. "Oh God, for shame!" I slapped a hand to my forehead. "I don't even know what your name is, dead mademoiselle." I paused, swallowing the lump that was rising in my throat. "My name.is Marius Pontmercy."
She smiled that angelic smile, making my heart soar. "And mine is Cosette."
What a beautiful name! I found myself beaming. "Cosette." I echoed, savoring the beautiful word. "I don't know what to say."
"Then say nothing." Cosette replied, her voice soft. I took a step toward her, and then two steps, and then I was so close I could reach out and touch her.
I did.
**Eponine**
I lost track of the time while I stood there, leaning against that wall and staring off at nothing. I didn't know for sure what I was doing. /Why am I standing here waiting for him?/ I asked myself.
Dejectedly, I shook my head and started to go. Glancing over at the gate one last time, however, I noticed someone there, someone who wasn't Marius. I squinted to see in the darkness. It was Montparnasse.what was he doing?
I made my way over discreetly. "'Parnasse, what are you doing so far out of our pitch?"
He looked over at me with a gleeful smile. "It's this house, we're gonna do it! Rich man with plenty of scratch. Do you remember the one that got away this afternoon?" he asked. I honestly had no idea who he was talking about, but I nodded all the same. Montparnasse nodded. "Probably's got a fortune put away!"
I took a step back with a look of horror no doubt splayed over my face. My stomach gave a horrible drop. /Oh Lord, somebody help me! What am I gonna do? Marius will think this an ambush-he'll think I'm in on it too! Oh, I've got to warn them!/
Out of the darkness, I saw my father and the rest of his gang appear from the alleyway behind Montparnasse. I ducked out of the way, off to the other end of the gate.
"Yes, I smell profit here." I heard my father say happily, in a hushed voice. He was looking around at everyone and rubbing his hands together. "This'll cost him dear!"
Brujon pushed my father. "What should I care who you should want to rob? Gimme my share and let's finish the thing."
I saw my father send him a harsh glare. "Shut your mouth and give me a hand."
Seeing my moment, I jumped out from the gate, unfortunately right in Brujon's path. The big man grabbed my arm and squeezed it tight. "What do we got 'ere?" he snickered.
My father looked up, directly at me. "Who's the hussy?"
Babet rolled his eyes. "It's yer brat, Eponine! Dontcha know your own kid? Why's she hangin' aboutcha?"
Brujon's fingers left red marks on my arm as my father pulled me away. "Get on home, Eponine. We're enough here without you."
I held my ground and pulled myself away from him, jumping on the pars of the gate. The crooks all seemed to lean toward me in anticipation. "I tell you, I know this place, and there's nothing here for you. It's only the old man and the girl, living ordinary lives." I said.
"Don't interfere! Why, you've got a lot of gall. You should take care, young miss! You've got a lot to say." My father snarled at me.
"Ah, she's goin' soft." Brujon laughed.
"It happens to all." Said Claquesous.
"Get on home, 'Ponine. You're in our way." Montparnasse hissed.
"No! I'm gonna scream, I'm gonna warn them!" I threatened.
My father threw up his hands in what appeared to first be an act of instinctual fear turned into a forced movement of anger towards me. I was pleased to see the alarm in his eyes. "One little scream and you'll regret it for a year!" he warned.
"Not one sound out of you!" Brujon growled.
I grinned-I couldn't help it. "I told you I'd do it!"
Before any of them could stop me, I whirled around and screamed at the top of my lungs. It shattered the hushed quiet about the cul-de-sac.
The gang seemingly flinched all as one, recoiling from the gate. My father grabbed my arms and hauled me off the gate roughly. "Oh, you wait my girl. You rule this night. I'll make you scream, you'll scream all right!" I struggled to get out of his pinching fingers, but he held on tight. "You all leave her to me and get out of here. Go for the sewers, get underground!"
The gang scattered and he followed, throwing me to the ground painfully.
All of a sudden Marius and Cosette were at the gate, staring down at me. "Was that your cry that sent them away?" Marius said. I couldn't help but scowl-he sounded so stupid. "Once more, you've saved the day, 'Ponine!"
I looked up at them, rubbing a bleeding elbow. I locked eyes with Cosette and we stared at each other. It was the first time we'd seen each other in years. Cosette had a look of sympathetic remembrance in her eyes, and I was sure that the look in my eyes was one of burning humility.
Marius looked over his shoulder. "Someone is coming. Let's not be seen, Eponine!" he said. Cosette broke her eye contact with me and gazed at Marius lovingly as he started climbing the gate. It made my stomach turn. He jumped down to the ground on my side and pulled me to my feet, then started running. I pulled myself away, though, and fled in a different direction.
I hoped that the tears that were stinging my eyes weren't showing.
**Cosette**
I remained hanging by the gate, looking off in the distance as Marius and Eponine disappeared. They had left barely a minute ago, but I could already hear my father running.
"My God, Cosette, are you all right?" he asked. I whirled around. "I heard a cry, voices out in the street."
I did some quick thinking. He would surely be upset-no, more than upset, furious-if he knew that Marius had been there with me. "That was my cry, Papá. I was afraid of what they'd do.but they ran away when I screamed."
"My child, what shall become of you? Who was out there?"
I faltered a moment and looked out the gate. "There were three men, cloaked in shadow." I listened to my own voice fade out as I gazed absently out the bars of the gate, where my love had disappeared.
Marius.he'd been there forever, yet only a moment, it seemed. My very world had changed around me, seemingly blooming from a world of lonely darkness into one of happiness and light. I could barely hear my father's frantic ramblings, until I heard my own name spoken. I turned to look at him.
"Tomorrow, we go to Calais.then, a ship across the sea," he was saying. My heart gave a terrible leap. Where were we going? And why? Why was he taking me away from Marius?
"Hurry, Cosette." He said to me, taking my arm. "Prepare to leave, and say no more. Tomorrow we'll be gone to safety, never you worry." I hesitated, shaking my head. "Hurry, Cosette!" His words seemed more urgent now. "It's time to close another door and live another day longer."
Sadly, I turned and did as I was asked. I looked back at him forlornly. Didn't he know? Didn't he realize that staying at Rue Plumet was my life? If we left, Marius would be gone to me forever.
I took one last fleeting look out the gate before turning and running to the house.
=========
**Eponine**
I was waiting for Marius outside the Café Musain, where he and his student friends would gather after their classes. I was slowly getting the impression that they were planning more than a study group.
The students flooded out of the café with an excited fervor that almost frightened me. I spotted Marius as he ran past, and ran to catch his arm. "Marius," I whispered. He looked down at me, apparently surprised to see me again. "Come with me, hurry."
I pulled him away, taking him down a dark side street.
"Eponine, where are you taking me?" he demanded. I didn't reply.
We came out of the alley into a wide cul-de-sac, where there was only one lonely, dark house, the front gate of which was shut.
"This is it." I said. "Fifty-five Rue Plumet. I've done as you asked me."
Marius looked over at the gate and them back at me, his gaze genuinely grateful. "Oh, thank you, 'Ponine!" he said, his boyish face bright. I nodded sadly and watched him run towards the gate and disappear over it. After he was gone, I slumped against the wall of the alley. "He was never mine to lose." I mused quietly, almost amused at my own silliness.
**Marius**
I cleared the gate and stood there in the garden for a moment, staring in awe at the young lady who was sitting on her bench with her back to him. She did not seem away of my approach. Her white dress reflected off the street lamp on the other side of the gate, and I was certain that the aura that seemed to surround her was coming directly from God Himself. I thought that I would burst into song, and perhaps the sound that came out of my throat then was a failed attempt.
The young lady stood up and whiled around. There was surprise in her beautiful eyes, but not fear. She seemed to smile at me, even. I again tried to speak, but my voice failed me. She stared at me, as if waiting for me to speak.
Finally I somehow managed to choke out some feeble words. "Oh God, for shame!" I slapped a hand to my forehead. "I don't even know what your name is, dead mademoiselle." I paused, swallowing the lump that was rising in my throat. "My name.is Marius Pontmercy."
She smiled that angelic smile, making my heart soar. "And mine is Cosette."
What a beautiful name! I found myself beaming. "Cosette." I echoed, savoring the beautiful word. "I don't know what to say."
"Then say nothing." Cosette replied, her voice soft. I took a step toward her, and then two steps, and then I was so close I could reach out and touch her.
I did.
**Eponine**
I lost track of the time while I stood there, leaning against that wall and staring off at nothing. I didn't know for sure what I was doing. /Why am I standing here waiting for him?/ I asked myself.
Dejectedly, I shook my head and started to go. Glancing over at the gate one last time, however, I noticed someone there, someone who wasn't Marius. I squinted to see in the darkness. It was Montparnasse.what was he doing?
I made my way over discreetly. "'Parnasse, what are you doing so far out of our pitch?"
He looked over at me with a gleeful smile. "It's this house, we're gonna do it! Rich man with plenty of scratch. Do you remember the one that got away this afternoon?" he asked. I honestly had no idea who he was talking about, but I nodded all the same. Montparnasse nodded. "Probably's got a fortune put away!"
I took a step back with a look of horror no doubt splayed over my face. My stomach gave a horrible drop. /Oh Lord, somebody help me! What am I gonna do? Marius will think this an ambush-he'll think I'm in on it too! Oh, I've got to warn them!/
Out of the darkness, I saw my father and the rest of his gang appear from the alleyway behind Montparnasse. I ducked out of the way, off to the other end of the gate.
"Yes, I smell profit here." I heard my father say happily, in a hushed voice. He was looking around at everyone and rubbing his hands together. "This'll cost him dear!"
Brujon pushed my father. "What should I care who you should want to rob? Gimme my share and let's finish the thing."
I saw my father send him a harsh glare. "Shut your mouth and give me a hand."
Seeing my moment, I jumped out from the gate, unfortunately right in Brujon's path. The big man grabbed my arm and squeezed it tight. "What do we got 'ere?" he snickered.
My father looked up, directly at me. "Who's the hussy?"
Babet rolled his eyes. "It's yer brat, Eponine! Dontcha know your own kid? Why's she hangin' aboutcha?"
Brujon's fingers left red marks on my arm as my father pulled me away. "Get on home, Eponine. We're enough here without you."
I held my ground and pulled myself away from him, jumping on the pars of the gate. The crooks all seemed to lean toward me in anticipation. "I tell you, I know this place, and there's nothing here for you. It's only the old man and the girl, living ordinary lives." I said.
"Don't interfere! Why, you've got a lot of gall. You should take care, young miss! You've got a lot to say." My father snarled at me.
"Ah, she's goin' soft." Brujon laughed.
"It happens to all." Said Claquesous.
"Get on home, 'Ponine. You're in our way." Montparnasse hissed.
"No! I'm gonna scream, I'm gonna warn them!" I threatened.
My father threw up his hands in what appeared to first be an act of instinctual fear turned into a forced movement of anger towards me. I was pleased to see the alarm in his eyes. "One little scream and you'll regret it for a year!" he warned.
"Not one sound out of you!" Brujon growled.
I grinned-I couldn't help it. "I told you I'd do it!"
Before any of them could stop me, I whirled around and screamed at the top of my lungs. It shattered the hushed quiet about the cul-de-sac.
The gang seemingly flinched all as one, recoiling from the gate. My father grabbed my arms and hauled me off the gate roughly. "Oh, you wait my girl. You rule this night. I'll make you scream, you'll scream all right!" I struggled to get out of his pinching fingers, but he held on tight. "You all leave her to me and get out of here. Go for the sewers, get underground!"
The gang scattered and he followed, throwing me to the ground painfully.
All of a sudden Marius and Cosette were at the gate, staring down at me. "Was that your cry that sent them away?" Marius said. I couldn't help but scowl-he sounded so stupid. "Once more, you've saved the day, 'Ponine!"
I looked up at them, rubbing a bleeding elbow. I locked eyes with Cosette and we stared at each other. It was the first time we'd seen each other in years. Cosette had a look of sympathetic remembrance in her eyes, and I was sure that the look in my eyes was one of burning humility.
Marius looked over his shoulder. "Someone is coming. Let's not be seen, Eponine!" he said. Cosette broke her eye contact with me and gazed at Marius lovingly as he started climbing the gate. It made my stomach turn. He jumped down to the ground on my side and pulled me to my feet, then started running. I pulled myself away, though, and fled in a different direction.
I hoped that the tears that were stinging my eyes weren't showing.
**Cosette**
I remained hanging by the gate, looking off in the distance as Marius and Eponine disappeared. They had left barely a minute ago, but I could already hear my father running.
"My God, Cosette, are you all right?" he asked. I whirled around. "I heard a cry, voices out in the street."
I did some quick thinking. He would surely be upset-no, more than upset, furious-if he knew that Marius had been there with me. "That was my cry, Papá. I was afraid of what they'd do.but they ran away when I screamed."
"My child, what shall become of you? Who was out there?"
I faltered a moment and looked out the gate. "There were three men, cloaked in shadow." I listened to my own voice fade out as I gazed absently out the bars of the gate, where my love had disappeared.
Marius.he'd been there forever, yet only a moment, it seemed. My very world had changed around me, seemingly blooming from a world of lonely darkness into one of happiness and light. I could barely hear my father's frantic ramblings, until I heard my own name spoken. I turned to look at him.
"Tomorrow, we go to Calais.then, a ship across the sea," he was saying. My heart gave a terrible leap. Where were we going? And why? Why was he taking me away from Marius?
"Hurry, Cosette." He said to me, taking my arm. "Prepare to leave, and say no more. Tomorrow we'll be gone to safety, never you worry." I hesitated, shaking my head. "Hurry, Cosette!" His words seemed more urgent now. "It's time to close another door and live another day longer."
Sadly, I turned and did as I was asked. I looked back at him forlornly. Didn't he know? Didn't he realize that staying at Rue Plumet was my life? If we left, Marius would be gone to me forever.
I took one last fleeting look out the gate before turning and running to the house.