Chapter 5
The next few weeks consisted of secret meetings two or three times a day between Eponine and Montparnasse. Usually when Eponine was sent to fetch water, or fish for dinner, or check the traps, Montparnasse was coincidently there as well. Their visits usually consisted of talking or sometimes just holding one another. Eponine found it increasingly difficult to sneak around in the beginning. Her mother had her peeling potatoes, and then cleaning the floor, after she had hung the laundry. But during the past few days, her mother had joined her father in going into town to make sure that he wasn't wasting all of the family assets.
One afternoon, Eponine was home alone cleaning up after the family's midday meal, when Brujon strolled into the hut. Eponine threw him a sideways glance and saw that he was walking straight. Of course, it was only right after supper, but by nightfall, he would be staggering around. He crossed the room to greet her and then sat down in an armchair in front of the fire.
"Can I get you anything?" Eponine regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth.
"Thank you kindly, but no. I actually come to talk to you abouts something."
"What could you have to talk to me about, Monsieur?"
"Sit, please. It is your house, after all, and we ain't strangers."
As Eponine took a seat, she realized that the man could be polite, given the lack of alcohol. "I'm listening."
"It's no secret that you is a pretty child. That is quite clear." Eponine blushed at the compliment. "However, I is thinking that maybe you should start thinking abouts taking to a man more your age."
Eponine stared dumfounded at the man across from her. He couldn't be talking about what she thought he was. She mustered up and innocent smiled and remarked, "Whatever could you mean, Monsieur?"
"You know very well what I mean," responded Brujon coldly. "I'm not saying this as a friend; but I is saying it so that you won't get hurt."
"I'm sure I have no idea what you..."
He bolted from his chair and hovered over her. "I know about you and Montparnasse. And don't think that you'ze can deny it. I seen you go down to the stream to fetch something, and he goes running out after you like you is the Holy Messiah."
"What do you mean I might get hurt?" asked Eponine as Brujon drew himself back.
"I've seen him around women. He uses them for what they is good for, excuse me, and then he says he'll be back to see them the following night. Only," he paused. "Only there ain't no following night. He done this back when we was living in Montfermeil. Don't think that just because he made a move he'll change his mannerisms."
A long silence followed Brujon's comment. Eponine finally said, "No. What you say isn't true. He has changed. Otherwise he wouldn't waste his time on me when he has Paris at his feet." She stared deep into his eyes. "What are you trying to do?"
"I is trying to make sure my friend's only daughter don't get into a situation that may be unpleasant for her."
"Get out."
"I is telling the truth, I am."
"Get out now!"
"I'll go, surly. But answer me this."
"Leave! Or I swear I'll..."
"Did he say he loved you?"
"What? That's none of your..."
"He says that to them all."
"Get out and leave me alone before I beat you senseless!"
"As you wish, Mademoiselle." He made his way out the door and to the adjacent house.
Eponine sat in silence for a while, knowing fully well there were chores to be done, but not giving them any thought. True, Brujon was a raving lunatic who couldn't keep anything to himself, but, from her experience, he wasn't a liar. Why would he reveal this Eponine? Her thoughts were broken when she heard two soft taps on the window, Montparnasse's signal to meet her down by the stream. She really wasn't in the mood to see him right now, but he had never refused to see her. She picked herself up, finished cleaning the dishes, and made her way down to the stream.
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Montparnasse had a bad feeling inside of him. He saw Brujon through the window of the Thenardier's house leaning closely over Eponine. He hadn't said anything to Brujon upon his return, but immediately given Eponine the signal to meet him.
"What's the matter?" He saw Eponine run up to him. She tried embrace him, but he refused. "What's wrong with you?"
"I should ask you the same thing."
"Why are you acting this way? I haven't done anything to deserve this."
"Let me ask you this. Why was Brujon at your house?"
"Excuse me!"
"That's my question. Why was he standing over you?"
"You aren't serious!"
"I have a right to know what you are doing."
"Why is that?"
"Answer me!"
Eponine saw his face explode with anger and began to feel afraid. "Brujon was at my house to tell me something."
"I swear, if you is lying to me..."
"I wouldn't lie to the man I love." As she kept her distance, she saw his expression change completely.
"Oh, dear God, 'Ponine. How could I have done this to you? I didn't trust you. It's you, I mean. Oh, God. You must think I'm..."
"'Parnasse! You're rambling. I don't think anything ill of you. How could I? If anything, I'm lucky to have a man like you who actually cares about a girl like me."
"Oh, God. 'Ponine. I'm so..."
"I forgive you." She kissed him on the cheek. "I guess you would like to know about Brujon's visit, then?"
"What happened? Why was he standing over you?"
"Calm down. I'm fine, if that's what's worrying you. He did nothing to me, except use a lot of words." She looked into his eyes. "Know that I do love you now, and that I will until the day I die. But I have to ask you something without you taking it the wrong way."
Montparnasse stared back at her quizzically. "I'll try my best."
"Are you just...using me?"
"Using you? For what? 'Ponine, what is this?"
"Is it true that you only use girls for what they're good for?"
"Brujon told you this?" Eponine nodded with her eyes to the ground. "And you believed him?" She looked up.
"It isn't true?"
"It's partially true. Years ago, many, many years ago, I used to..."
"How many years ago?"
"I'm not sure. Seven or eight at least."
"Go on."
"I used to do that to girls. But that's all changed now. I've met you, and I fell in love with you for the right reasons, not for lust as I done long ago." He looked at her pleadingly. "'Ponine, you have gots to believe."
"Are you sure about all that?"
"I'm positive."
"All that's done and over with?"
"It's in the past."
"And there isn't anything else I need to know? Anything you have on the side that I don't know about?"
"No and no." He paused. "Let me ask you the same question. Is there anything that should be concerning me? Anything you need to let me know?"
She smiled. "Only that I love you more than I can ever say."
He returned the smile. "Well, if that's all." He opened his arms, willingly now, and she found her way in.
She started to laugh. "We should let Brujon intrude more often."
"Brujon. What did he say to you asides what you've already said?"
"He told me he didn't want me getting hurt. He said that he was concerned because I was his friend's only daughter."
"What's that bastard up to?"
"You don't think...he told Papa?"
"No. He may be a drunk lunatic, but he would come to me afore he did that."
"How do you know that?"
"He's done it afore. Given me time to break it off with a girl before he does his damage." He saw Eponine's worries in her eyes. "But I wouldn't break it off with you if it meant all the money in France."
"What exactly would his 'damage' entail?"
"Haven't gotten to that point with Brujon. Hopefully never will."
"But he told me..."
"Don't worry yourself with such things." He kissed her forehead and drew her close to him. "We is going to be just fine. With the way things is going right now, we'll have the best life of anyone."
"I hope so, 'Parnasse. I really, really hope so."
She leaned in for a kiss, and he did the same. Her soft and delicate lips pressed against his as she ran her fingers through his hair. Suddenly, their moment was torn apart when they heard an all too familiar voice speak.
"Well, well, well. Looks at what we have here, boys."
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A/N - Ha! My first cliffhanger!
The next few weeks consisted of secret meetings two or three times a day between Eponine and Montparnasse. Usually when Eponine was sent to fetch water, or fish for dinner, or check the traps, Montparnasse was coincidently there as well. Their visits usually consisted of talking or sometimes just holding one another. Eponine found it increasingly difficult to sneak around in the beginning. Her mother had her peeling potatoes, and then cleaning the floor, after she had hung the laundry. But during the past few days, her mother had joined her father in going into town to make sure that he wasn't wasting all of the family assets.
One afternoon, Eponine was home alone cleaning up after the family's midday meal, when Brujon strolled into the hut. Eponine threw him a sideways glance and saw that he was walking straight. Of course, it was only right after supper, but by nightfall, he would be staggering around. He crossed the room to greet her and then sat down in an armchair in front of the fire.
"Can I get you anything?" Eponine regretted her words as soon as they left her mouth.
"Thank you kindly, but no. I actually come to talk to you abouts something."
"What could you have to talk to me about, Monsieur?"
"Sit, please. It is your house, after all, and we ain't strangers."
As Eponine took a seat, she realized that the man could be polite, given the lack of alcohol. "I'm listening."
"It's no secret that you is a pretty child. That is quite clear." Eponine blushed at the compliment. "However, I is thinking that maybe you should start thinking abouts taking to a man more your age."
Eponine stared dumfounded at the man across from her. He couldn't be talking about what she thought he was. She mustered up and innocent smiled and remarked, "Whatever could you mean, Monsieur?"
"You know very well what I mean," responded Brujon coldly. "I'm not saying this as a friend; but I is saying it so that you won't get hurt."
"I'm sure I have no idea what you..."
He bolted from his chair and hovered over her. "I know about you and Montparnasse. And don't think that you'ze can deny it. I seen you go down to the stream to fetch something, and he goes running out after you like you is the Holy Messiah."
"What do you mean I might get hurt?" asked Eponine as Brujon drew himself back.
"I've seen him around women. He uses them for what they is good for, excuse me, and then he says he'll be back to see them the following night. Only," he paused. "Only there ain't no following night. He done this back when we was living in Montfermeil. Don't think that just because he made a move he'll change his mannerisms."
A long silence followed Brujon's comment. Eponine finally said, "No. What you say isn't true. He has changed. Otherwise he wouldn't waste his time on me when he has Paris at his feet." She stared deep into his eyes. "What are you trying to do?"
"I is trying to make sure my friend's only daughter don't get into a situation that may be unpleasant for her."
"Get out."
"I is telling the truth, I am."
"Get out now!"
"I'll go, surly. But answer me this."
"Leave! Or I swear I'll..."
"Did he say he loved you?"
"What? That's none of your..."
"He says that to them all."
"Get out and leave me alone before I beat you senseless!"
"As you wish, Mademoiselle." He made his way out the door and to the adjacent house.
Eponine sat in silence for a while, knowing fully well there were chores to be done, but not giving them any thought. True, Brujon was a raving lunatic who couldn't keep anything to himself, but, from her experience, he wasn't a liar. Why would he reveal this Eponine? Her thoughts were broken when she heard two soft taps on the window, Montparnasse's signal to meet her down by the stream. She really wasn't in the mood to see him right now, but he had never refused to see her. She picked herself up, finished cleaning the dishes, and made her way down to the stream.
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Montparnasse had a bad feeling inside of him. He saw Brujon through the window of the Thenardier's house leaning closely over Eponine. He hadn't said anything to Brujon upon his return, but immediately given Eponine the signal to meet him.
"What's the matter?" He saw Eponine run up to him. She tried embrace him, but he refused. "What's wrong with you?"
"I should ask you the same thing."
"Why are you acting this way? I haven't done anything to deserve this."
"Let me ask you this. Why was Brujon at your house?"
"Excuse me!"
"That's my question. Why was he standing over you?"
"You aren't serious!"
"I have a right to know what you are doing."
"Why is that?"
"Answer me!"
Eponine saw his face explode with anger and began to feel afraid. "Brujon was at my house to tell me something."
"I swear, if you is lying to me..."
"I wouldn't lie to the man I love." As she kept her distance, she saw his expression change completely.
"Oh, dear God, 'Ponine. How could I have done this to you? I didn't trust you. It's you, I mean. Oh, God. You must think I'm..."
"'Parnasse! You're rambling. I don't think anything ill of you. How could I? If anything, I'm lucky to have a man like you who actually cares about a girl like me."
"Oh, God. 'Ponine. I'm so..."
"I forgive you." She kissed him on the cheek. "I guess you would like to know about Brujon's visit, then?"
"What happened? Why was he standing over you?"
"Calm down. I'm fine, if that's what's worrying you. He did nothing to me, except use a lot of words." She looked into his eyes. "Know that I do love you now, and that I will until the day I die. But I have to ask you something without you taking it the wrong way."
Montparnasse stared back at her quizzically. "I'll try my best."
"Are you just...using me?"
"Using you? For what? 'Ponine, what is this?"
"Is it true that you only use girls for what they're good for?"
"Brujon told you this?" Eponine nodded with her eyes to the ground. "And you believed him?" She looked up.
"It isn't true?"
"It's partially true. Years ago, many, many years ago, I used to..."
"How many years ago?"
"I'm not sure. Seven or eight at least."
"Go on."
"I used to do that to girls. But that's all changed now. I've met you, and I fell in love with you for the right reasons, not for lust as I done long ago." He looked at her pleadingly. "'Ponine, you have gots to believe."
"Are you sure about all that?"
"I'm positive."
"All that's done and over with?"
"It's in the past."
"And there isn't anything else I need to know? Anything you have on the side that I don't know about?"
"No and no." He paused. "Let me ask you the same question. Is there anything that should be concerning me? Anything you need to let me know?"
She smiled. "Only that I love you more than I can ever say."
He returned the smile. "Well, if that's all." He opened his arms, willingly now, and she found her way in.
She started to laugh. "We should let Brujon intrude more often."
"Brujon. What did he say to you asides what you've already said?"
"He told me he didn't want me getting hurt. He said that he was concerned because I was his friend's only daughter."
"What's that bastard up to?"
"You don't think...he told Papa?"
"No. He may be a drunk lunatic, but he would come to me afore he did that."
"How do you know that?"
"He's done it afore. Given me time to break it off with a girl before he does his damage." He saw Eponine's worries in her eyes. "But I wouldn't break it off with you if it meant all the money in France."
"What exactly would his 'damage' entail?"
"Haven't gotten to that point with Brujon. Hopefully never will."
"But he told me..."
"Don't worry yourself with such things." He kissed her forehead and drew her close to him. "We is going to be just fine. With the way things is going right now, we'll have the best life of anyone."
"I hope so, 'Parnasse. I really, really hope so."
She leaned in for a kiss, and he did the same. Her soft and delicate lips pressed against his as she ran her fingers through his hair. Suddenly, their moment was torn apart when they heard an all too familiar voice speak.
"Well, well, well. Looks at what we have here, boys."
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A/N - Ha! My first cliffhanger!