Chapter 6
"What are you doing here?" Montparnasse asked through gritted teeth.
"I should ask you the same thing." He turned to look at Eponine. "I told you that he was full of lies. I heard the whole thing. Really, 'Parnasse. I've heard better from Thenardier."
"Brujon, you leave Thenardier out of this. Tain't none of his business!"
"Oh, but I think it is. That thing you have in your arms is his daughter, ain't she?"
"Brujon, please," pleaded Eponine. She had to think of something, and quickly. "If you tell my father, then he'll...he'll never trust you again."
"He won't trust us again?" laughed Babet. "He'll be grateful to us, which is more than I can say 'bout him down there."
"Yeah, 'Parnasse. If I was you, I'd get me bags and leave without so much as a goodbye."
"I'm not leaving, Claquesous. You'd like it if I left, but I ain't going to."
"Look, we'll give you five minutes to say goodbye, then you'll be gone. We'll forget we ever saw this spectacle."
"I'm not lying! If you tell my father, he'll want to know why you were down here." She paused. "Why are you down here? Why do you care about what I do in my life? Is there something that you need to tell me? Because those are questions my father would ask you." Montparnasse's face lit up with a smile as Brujon's face went beet red.
"I is down here because I, because I..." he looked for help in his two friends, but found nothing. "Fine! Keep your stupid love games, but don't think that I ain't going to keep watching, 'cause I am."
"Why, Brujon? What difference does it make?"
"You want a reason? I'll give you a reason, 'Parnasse. Not here, not now. But I'll give you a reason sometime real soon. Lets go." And with that, the three men retreated away.
Eponine looked up at Montparnasse. He gave a weak laugh, but her solemn expression remained. She began to walk back through the woods, when she was stopped by his voice.
"You aren't going to let them scare you like that?" She didn't turn. "'Ponine, you just can't!"
"'Parnasse," she said as she turned slightly. "This isn't a game. It's dangerous now. If anyone of them, or us, makes a slip, it's all over."
"What are you saying?" He studied what he saw of her, then smiled. "You have a plan brewing. I know you do."
She walked back to him. "Of course I have a plan."
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"I can't believe this, Brujon. You just walked away from them like that?"
"I had to. What else could I do?"
"You could have stayed."
"Shut it, Babet."
Just as he finished his words, Montparnasse walked through the door and sat in a chair away from the rest of the men.
"What's wrong with you? You gots what you wanted, so be happy about it."
"No, Brujon. I didn't get what I wanted. So you be happy about it."
"What do you mean?"
Montparnasse turned his face to the men, he had evidently been crying, for the stains where still upon his cheek.
"Eponine doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. She said that she can't afford to have anyone slip about her and me, especially in front of her father. She said it was over, and that it never meant anything to her." He snorted. "She said she wanted to tell me for a long time, but couldn't figure how to put it into words. So congratulations. Nothing for you to worry about."
"Actually, yes there is. I told you I had a reason for going down there, and I do. You want to hear it? I'll tell you right now." He moved his chair so that he was eye level with Montparnasse. "I followed you because Thenardier asked me to," he looked away and the back into his friend's eyes. "Thenardier asked me to watch Eponine and see if I'd like her for my wife."
"Thenardier asked you what?!"
"Calm down, 'Parnasse! Sit down. Lets talk about it."
"I can't believe this! Why would he want you to marry Eponine? You can't support yourself, let alone her!"
"Obviously you still love her. I'm fine with that. That's why I'm going to tell Thenardier tonight that I can't go through with it."
"What?"
"I went to talk to Eponine and I followed her because I wanted to confirm my suspicions. I knew you loved her, it was all to clear. But I wanted to see if she was just playing a game with you or not. From what I found out, she loves you."
"Not anymore."
"I still can't do it, though. I can't marry her when you still love her. I may be drunk most of the time, but I ain't indecent."
"That shows real class. Thanks." Montparnasse extended his hand and Brujon accepted it.
"Okay, okay. Let's start on dinner, you'ze lovebirds," interrupted Babet.
"Of course. We won't keep an empty stomach waiting," laughed Brujon as he left his chair.
But Montparnasse didn't move immediately. He sat where he was for a while and smiled to himself.
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That night, as Eponine cleared the dishes from her parent's dinner, Brujon walked in and took a seat next to Thenardier. She felt fear rise up inside of her. What could he want? Hadn't he promised that he was going to keep to himself? She strained her ears to hear bits and pieces of conversation, but only heard her father.
"If that's truly 'ow you feel, I can't argue with ya."
"Not that it wouldn't be an honor, but I just couldn't do that to her."
"Alright then. I appreciate your 'onesty. Night then."
Brujon left the house, exchanging a glance with Eponine. She swore she saw him wink at her. She quickly finished and went up to her father.
"Papa, what was that about?"
Thenardier looked at his wife and she nodded. He looked back at his daughter. "'Ponine, I must confess, we was doing something 'ind your back."
"What were you doing?"
"Well, I asked Brujon to see if 'e would consider being your 'usband."
"My husband!"
"But 'e just come to tell me that 'e don't think that 'e would make you a good 'usband. So, 'e come to refuse me offer."
"You asked him to marry me? Why Brujon?"
"I known Brujon the longest, and I think that 'e's a right 'onest man." Madame snorted.
"But, why did you ask him to pursue me if he didn't want to?"
"I just thought that you is growing up and perhaps it is time that you pick a man to call your own. I personally would feel more comfortable if I know the person, since we don't know anyone else 'ere in Paris."
Eponine starred into her father's eyes. "Papa, do you mean all of that?"
"I do, child. Yes I do."
Eponine grabbed a bucket and ran out the door.
"What in the blazes do we need water for?"
"Must need something. Eponine knows what she is doing, love. I think she's become a better cook than you are."
"And that's a relief, 'cause to tell you the truth, I never learned how to cook proper."
"I believe that," whispered Thenardier picking up his paper.
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Eponine was so excited that she had tapped more loudly than she had meant to on the window. Hopefully Montparnasse would notice this, and hurry down as fast as he could. She ran to the stream, filled the bucket easily, and put it off to the side.
She saw a light coming down through the trees. Montparnasse emerged carrying a lantern. "Good God, 'Ponine! You scared me! What's the matter?"
"How did the plan work on Brujon?"
"Like a charm."
"Did he tell you what his reasoning was?"
"Yeah. That you're father asked him..."
"...To marry me," Eponine finished for him.
"You knew?"
"No, he came to tell my father that he couldn't marry me."
"'Ponine this is the best day ever!"
"There's more! My father said that he would rather me marry a man he knows than anyone else!"
"'Ponine!" He picked her up and swung her around in the air. He finally put her down and kissed her like he never had before. She suddenly pulled back.
"I can't stay. I have to get back because they saw me leave."
"Okay." He kissed her once more. "We'll see each other soon."
"Real soon," added Eponine as she picked up the bucket and made her way back up the hill.
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Hey, sorry to disappoint you, Jan McNeville, I had written this chapter immediately following Chapter 5 during a very boring and lonely Memorial Day Weekend. But, as requested, no Thenardier! You've actually given my mind a boost for possible other stories after this is over with. :) (It's far from over, never you fear!)
"What are you doing here?" Montparnasse asked through gritted teeth.
"I should ask you the same thing." He turned to look at Eponine. "I told you that he was full of lies. I heard the whole thing. Really, 'Parnasse. I've heard better from Thenardier."
"Brujon, you leave Thenardier out of this. Tain't none of his business!"
"Oh, but I think it is. That thing you have in your arms is his daughter, ain't she?"
"Brujon, please," pleaded Eponine. She had to think of something, and quickly. "If you tell my father, then he'll...he'll never trust you again."
"He won't trust us again?" laughed Babet. "He'll be grateful to us, which is more than I can say 'bout him down there."
"Yeah, 'Parnasse. If I was you, I'd get me bags and leave without so much as a goodbye."
"I'm not leaving, Claquesous. You'd like it if I left, but I ain't going to."
"Look, we'll give you five minutes to say goodbye, then you'll be gone. We'll forget we ever saw this spectacle."
"I'm not lying! If you tell my father, he'll want to know why you were down here." She paused. "Why are you down here? Why do you care about what I do in my life? Is there something that you need to tell me? Because those are questions my father would ask you." Montparnasse's face lit up with a smile as Brujon's face went beet red.
"I is down here because I, because I..." he looked for help in his two friends, but found nothing. "Fine! Keep your stupid love games, but don't think that I ain't going to keep watching, 'cause I am."
"Why, Brujon? What difference does it make?"
"You want a reason? I'll give you a reason, 'Parnasse. Not here, not now. But I'll give you a reason sometime real soon. Lets go." And with that, the three men retreated away.
Eponine looked up at Montparnasse. He gave a weak laugh, but her solemn expression remained. She began to walk back through the woods, when she was stopped by his voice.
"You aren't going to let them scare you like that?" She didn't turn. "'Ponine, you just can't!"
"'Parnasse," she said as she turned slightly. "This isn't a game. It's dangerous now. If anyone of them, or us, makes a slip, it's all over."
"What are you saying?" He studied what he saw of her, then smiled. "You have a plan brewing. I know you do."
She walked back to him. "Of course I have a plan."
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"I can't believe this, Brujon. You just walked away from them like that?"
"I had to. What else could I do?"
"You could have stayed."
"Shut it, Babet."
Just as he finished his words, Montparnasse walked through the door and sat in a chair away from the rest of the men.
"What's wrong with you? You gots what you wanted, so be happy about it."
"No, Brujon. I didn't get what I wanted. So you be happy about it."
"What do you mean?"
Montparnasse turned his face to the men, he had evidently been crying, for the stains where still upon his cheek.
"Eponine doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. She said that she can't afford to have anyone slip about her and me, especially in front of her father. She said it was over, and that it never meant anything to her." He snorted. "She said she wanted to tell me for a long time, but couldn't figure how to put it into words. So congratulations. Nothing for you to worry about."
"Actually, yes there is. I told you I had a reason for going down there, and I do. You want to hear it? I'll tell you right now." He moved his chair so that he was eye level with Montparnasse. "I followed you because Thenardier asked me to," he looked away and the back into his friend's eyes. "Thenardier asked me to watch Eponine and see if I'd like her for my wife."
"Thenardier asked you what?!"
"Calm down, 'Parnasse! Sit down. Lets talk about it."
"I can't believe this! Why would he want you to marry Eponine? You can't support yourself, let alone her!"
"Obviously you still love her. I'm fine with that. That's why I'm going to tell Thenardier tonight that I can't go through with it."
"What?"
"I went to talk to Eponine and I followed her because I wanted to confirm my suspicions. I knew you loved her, it was all to clear. But I wanted to see if she was just playing a game with you or not. From what I found out, she loves you."
"Not anymore."
"I still can't do it, though. I can't marry her when you still love her. I may be drunk most of the time, but I ain't indecent."
"That shows real class. Thanks." Montparnasse extended his hand and Brujon accepted it.
"Okay, okay. Let's start on dinner, you'ze lovebirds," interrupted Babet.
"Of course. We won't keep an empty stomach waiting," laughed Brujon as he left his chair.
But Montparnasse didn't move immediately. He sat where he was for a while and smiled to himself.
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That night, as Eponine cleared the dishes from her parent's dinner, Brujon walked in and took a seat next to Thenardier. She felt fear rise up inside of her. What could he want? Hadn't he promised that he was going to keep to himself? She strained her ears to hear bits and pieces of conversation, but only heard her father.
"If that's truly 'ow you feel, I can't argue with ya."
"Not that it wouldn't be an honor, but I just couldn't do that to her."
"Alright then. I appreciate your 'onesty. Night then."
Brujon left the house, exchanging a glance with Eponine. She swore she saw him wink at her. She quickly finished and went up to her father.
"Papa, what was that about?"
Thenardier looked at his wife and she nodded. He looked back at his daughter. "'Ponine, I must confess, we was doing something 'ind your back."
"What were you doing?"
"Well, I asked Brujon to see if 'e would consider being your 'usband."
"My husband!"
"But 'e just come to tell me that 'e don't think that 'e would make you a good 'usband. So, 'e come to refuse me offer."
"You asked him to marry me? Why Brujon?"
"I known Brujon the longest, and I think that 'e's a right 'onest man." Madame snorted.
"But, why did you ask him to pursue me if he didn't want to?"
"I just thought that you is growing up and perhaps it is time that you pick a man to call your own. I personally would feel more comfortable if I know the person, since we don't know anyone else 'ere in Paris."
Eponine starred into her father's eyes. "Papa, do you mean all of that?"
"I do, child. Yes I do."
Eponine grabbed a bucket and ran out the door.
"What in the blazes do we need water for?"
"Must need something. Eponine knows what she is doing, love. I think she's become a better cook than you are."
"And that's a relief, 'cause to tell you the truth, I never learned how to cook proper."
"I believe that," whispered Thenardier picking up his paper.
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Eponine was so excited that she had tapped more loudly than she had meant to on the window. Hopefully Montparnasse would notice this, and hurry down as fast as he could. She ran to the stream, filled the bucket easily, and put it off to the side.
She saw a light coming down through the trees. Montparnasse emerged carrying a lantern. "Good God, 'Ponine! You scared me! What's the matter?"
"How did the plan work on Brujon?"
"Like a charm."
"Did he tell you what his reasoning was?"
"Yeah. That you're father asked him..."
"...To marry me," Eponine finished for him.
"You knew?"
"No, he came to tell my father that he couldn't marry me."
"'Ponine this is the best day ever!"
"There's more! My father said that he would rather me marry a man he knows than anyone else!"
"'Ponine!" He picked her up and swung her around in the air. He finally put her down and kissed her like he never had before. She suddenly pulled back.
"I can't stay. I have to get back because they saw me leave."
"Okay." He kissed her once more. "We'll see each other soon."
"Real soon," added Eponine as she picked up the bucket and made her way back up the hill.
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Hey, sorry to disappoint you, Jan McNeville, I had written this chapter immediately following Chapter 5 during a very boring and lonely Memorial Day Weekend. But, as requested, no Thenardier! You've actually given my mind a boost for possible other stories after this is over with. :) (It's far from over, never you fear!)