Javert
Part First
He walked slowly, but with a purpose. His eyes scanned both sides of the street, searching for signs of foul play in the people he passed.. As each person passed unmolested, they breathed a sigh of relief as one would after a storm had passed. On one particular day not unlike the others, those black eyes failed to notice two women observing him as he patrolled his beat. The two women were new faces in that section of the city and so it was only be extreme chance that Javert missed them . "I think there's a sadness there, Frances." the younger woman remarked to her friend as they watched the stony officer pass by them on the street. Her companion, an older, more sensible woman, frowned slightly at her friend's hopelessly romantic notions. "Nonsense. There is nothing sad about that man. If you ask me, he's arrogant. Arrogant and far too proud." She pursed her lips sternly and tucked away a loose strand of hair. Her words were lost on her younger friend, however, for she had gone on regarding Javert as one does who is trying to solve a difficult puzzle. "Do you think that-" "Ladies, what causes this holdup?" called a brusque voice from over Frances shoulder. Frances gasped and turned so suddenly that Lily half expected to see a murderer or someone equally dangerous. Lily glanced over Frances' shoulder to see Inspector Javert standing there. "Inspector Javert." Lily greeted politely. Javert ignored her, still addressing Frances. "What causes this loitering?" he repeated stonily. Lily averted her gaze somewhat timidly. "We meant no harm, sir-" "And a good day to you, sir!" Frances broke in, and taking Lily's arm, steered her around and away from Javert. As soon as they were out of hearshot, Frances huffed and scowled and fussed with her hair angrily.
Eventually, tired of Javert's inexorable bullying, the older woman persuaded her friend to choose a different route through the city for their walks. The days grew shorter and colder and a bitterness could be felt when one stepped outside his or her door. Eventually the snows came and the peaceful city was blanketed in snow and silence. The streets were perpetually empty save for the occasional person rushing home from an emergency trip to the butcher or the infermery. Frances took sick in early December with influenza and received doctor's orders to remain bedridden for two weeks. Lily resolved that she wouldn't walk without Frances, but with some scolding and shoving, was persuaded to go out on her own. On one such night. Lily was out by herself walking down Rue D' Claveau when she spotted a familiar figure under the light of one of the many sodium lamps that dotted the street. The name behind the figure was none other than Msr L' Inspecteur. The orange cast of the sodium lamp shone harshly upon the Inspector, sharpening his features and enclosing them in the dark shadow created by his hat. Regardless, Lily reflected, there was something handsome about him. "Goodness..no one should be out in this weather, and at night.." Lily thought and resolved she was foolish being out herself in the freezing temperatures. The slight woman turned down the alleyway and headed toward Ferrule Avenue and home.
*~*~*
Javert stood stonily under the lamp, his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his greatcoat. It did little good, however, as they'd been numb for hours. Ice covered his sideburns and the hair tied back at the nape of his neck. Even his eyelashes bore a fine film of ice, but it was all of little consequence. His shift would end in little more than an hour and he could retire for the night. Despite his best efforts to ward off the drowsy feeling that enveloped him, Javert's eyes began to close as hypothermia set in. All his extremities had lost feeling, and he began to shiver. Javert scowled and cursed his weakness even as his eyes began to shut. A woman's shrill scream brought him to his senses. The sound had come from the alleyway in which a woman had passed a few minutes earlier. Javert, now fully alert, set off in that direction with a flurry of coattails.
~*~*~*
Lily cried out as the child dashed off with her handbag. It wasn't so much that the money, but the bag was a family heirloom. Lily gave chase and called for help. The urchin turned back to see Lily chasing him and collided with someone and fell back in the snow. "GET OUTTA-uh, I-I-I-Inspector Javert!" Javert hauled the youth up by his collar and shook him to his feet. "What reason have you to be running in the street at this hour? Speak!" he demanded of the stuttering child. "I.I.I wuz-" "Stop stuttering, boy!" Lily caught up to the pair, her coat flying open and her hair streaming loose around her shoulders. "Msr L'Inspecteur!" Javert glanced up, and the urchin used the momentary distraction to shake out of his grasp and flee down the alleyway. He threw Lily's handbag at her as he passed and disappeared around the corner. Lily turned back to the inspector, her treasured handbag clutched to her chest and a quizzical expression on her face. Why had he not pursued the boy? Then Lily saw his face. Even in the dim light of the lamp, his face was pallid and his lips,too held a bluish cast. "Msr?" The inspector made a visible effort to shake away the sickness that was quickly blurring his vision, but he was too far gone. "Mademoiselle.." Lily barely had time to dash forward to catch Javert as he lost consciousness and pitched forward.
~*~*~*
She couldn't leave him. His skin burned with fever and would surely die should she leave, however briefly, even to find help. Lily had taken off her coat and wrapped it around the Inspector, leaving her exposed to the biting cold. He was easily twice her size and Lily had to fairly drag him through the snow. She paused in front of Mme. Dolier's door. When the mistress opened the door, Lily begged to her to help carry to the Inspector home. Mme Dolier looked horrified. "I.I am sorry, mademoiselle! We are out of room!"
With that, she shut the door quickly, leaving Lily, dumbfounded, to drag Javert home.
Part First
He walked slowly, but with a purpose. His eyes scanned both sides of the street, searching for signs of foul play in the people he passed.. As each person passed unmolested, they breathed a sigh of relief as one would after a storm had passed. On one particular day not unlike the others, those black eyes failed to notice two women observing him as he patrolled his beat. The two women were new faces in that section of the city and so it was only be extreme chance that Javert missed them . "I think there's a sadness there, Frances." the younger woman remarked to her friend as they watched the stony officer pass by them on the street. Her companion, an older, more sensible woman, frowned slightly at her friend's hopelessly romantic notions. "Nonsense. There is nothing sad about that man. If you ask me, he's arrogant. Arrogant and far too proud." She pursed her lips sternly and tucked away a loose strand of hair. Her words were lost on her younger friend, however, for she had gone on regarding Javert as one does who is trying to solve a difficult puzzle. "Do you think that-" "Ladies, what causes this holdup?" called a brusque voice from over Frances shoulder. Frances gasped and turned so suddenly that Lily half expected to see a murderer or someone equally dangerous. Lily glanced over Frances' shoulder to see Inspector Javert standing there. "Inspector Javert." Lily greeted politely. Javert ignored her, still addressing Frances. "What causes this loitering?" he repeated stonily. Lily averted her gaze somewhat timidly. "We meant no harm, sir-" "And a good day to you, sir!" Frances broke in, and taking Lily's arm, steered her around and away from Javert. As soon as they were out of hearshot, Frances huffed and scowled and fussed with her hair angrily.
Eventually, tired of Javert's inexorable bullying, the older woman persuaded her friend to choose a different route through the city for their walks. The days grew shorter and colder and a bitterness could be felt when one stepped outside his or her door. Eventually the snows came and the peaceful city was blanketed in snow and silence. The streets were perpetually empty save for the occasional person rushing home from an emergency trip to the butcher or the infermery. Frances took sick in early December with influenza and received doctor's orders to remain bedridden for two weeks. Lily resolved that she wouldn't walk without Frances, but with some scolding and shoving, was persuaded to go out on her own. On one such night. Lily was out by herself walking down Rue D' Claveau when she spotted a familiar figure under the light of one of the many sodium lamps that dotted the street. The name behind the figure was none other than Msr L' Inspecteur. The orange cast of the sodium lamp shone harshly upon the Inspector, sharpening his features and enclosing them in the dark shadow created by his hat. Regardless, Lily reflected, there was something handsome about him. "Goodness..no one should be out in this weather, and at night.." Lily thought and resolved she was foolish being out herself in the freezing temperatures. The slight woman turned down the alleyway and headed toward Ferrule Avenue and home.
*~*~*
Javert stood stonily under the lamp, his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his greatcoat. It did little good, however, as they'd been numb for hours. Ice covered his sideburns and the hair tied back at the nape of his neck. Even his eyelashes bore a fine film of ice, but it was all of little consequence. His shift would end in little more than an hour and he could retire for the night. Despite his best efforts to ward off the drowsy feeling that enveloped him, Javert's eyes began to close as hypothermia set in. All his extremities had lost feeling, and he began to shiver. Javert scowled and cursed his weakness even as his eyes began to shut. A woman's shrill scream brought him to his senses. The sound had come from the alleyway in which a woman had passed a few minutes earlier. Javert, now fully alert, set off in that direction with a flurry of coattails.
~*~*~*
Lily cried out as the child dashed off with her handbag. It wasn't so much that the money, but the bag was a family heirloom. Lily gave chase and called for help. The urchin turned back to see Lily chasing him and collided with someone and fell back in the snow. "GET OUTTA-uh, I-I-I-Inspector Javert!" Javert hauled the youth up by his collar and shook him to his feet. "What reason have you to be running in the street at this hour? Speak!" he demanded of the stuttering child. "I.I.I wuz-" "Stop stuttering, boy!" Lily caught up to the pair, her coat flying open and her hair streaming loose around her shoulders. "Msr L'Inspecteur!" Javert glanced up, and the urchin used the momentary distraction to shake out of his grasp and flee down the alleyway. He threw Lily's handbag at her as he passed and disappeared around the corner. Lily turned back to the inspector, her treasured handbag clutched to her chest and a quizzical expression on her face. Why had he not pursued the boy? Then Lily saw his face. Even in the dim light of the lamp, his face was pallid and his lips,too held a bluish cast. "Msr?" The inspector made a visible effort to shake away the sickness that was quickly blurring his vision, but he was too far gone. "Mademoiselle.." Lily barely had time to dash forward to catch Javert as he lost consciousness and pitched forward.
~*~*~*
She couldn't leave him. His skin burned with fever and would surely die should she leave, however briefly, even to find help. Lily had taken off her coat and wrapped it around the Inspector, leaving her exposed to the biting cold. He was easily twice her size and Lily had to fairly drag him through the snow. She paused in front of Mme. Dolier's door. When the mistress opened the door, Lily begged to her to help carry to the Inspector home. Mme Dolier looked horrified. "I.I am sorry, mademoiselle! We are out of room!"
With that, she shut the door quickly, leaving Lily, dumbfounded, to drag Javert home.