Chapter 2
Marius drifted into a daydream while Gavroche drew up a map of Paris for his next plan. Not only did Marius love the little boy as if he was his own brother, but he loved the sister that cared so much for the boy. Words couldn't describe what he felt for Eponine. He remembered the day that he had found Gavroche in the square, searching franticly for anyone he knew, and then, out of nowhere, came Eponine. His eyes locked and focused on her from the second she approached. A 'thanks' was muttered as she took the boy by the hand and lead him away. Had it not been for Marius' quick offer to meet her again, she might have been lost forever.
Everything about Eponine made him smile. She was a charming, witty girl with a personality to kill and a laugh that would make you melt. Although the occasional piece of dirt found its way to her, she still was a radiant beauty. Her full eyelashes matched her thick, curly hair, which always hung loosely. And although Marius had only seen her in one dress ever since the day he met her, he thought she wore it well.
"Marius?"
"What, Gavroche?" asked Marius, coming out of his trance.
"Gavroche? My God, Marius. Do pay more attention to who's in the room with you."
"Sorry, Enjolras. I was distracted."
"Right he was, professor."
"Tell me, Gavroche. What did distract our Monsieur Marius today?"
"Gavroche...," warned Marius.
The child smiled and turned to Enjolras. "Well, my sister was here today. She was the only thing that distracted me. She overheard our plans, she did."
"She didn't! And you let her go?"
"Well..."
"Gavroche, how can I trust you to be a leader if you let anyone hear our plans?"
"I'm sorry, professor. I resign." Gavroche looked absolutely disgusted with himself as he sulked. Marius and Enjolras exchanged glances.
"I will have to refuse your resignation, Monsieur Gavroche. I need you, not matter how many times you give out information." Gavroche's face lit up once again. "Go get something to eat. But stay away from Grantaire!" Enjolras called after him.
Marius began to pull all the papers together when he noticed the rebel leader smiling at him from across the table.
"What?"
"So, Eponine was here today."
"Yes, so was Azelma. In fact, they're coming back for the meeting."
"Ah, the meeting is what they're coming back for?"
"Enjolras..."
"Marius, I am stating the obvious, and the obvious is that you are clearly taken with the girl."
"I have no clue what you're talking about."
"Denial will ruin the whole thing. If you have feelings for the girl, run with them! Don't sit around waiting for her to come to you."
"I can't deny what I don't feel."
"Then do you get some sort of kick when a girl throws herself before you, waiting for you?"
"Enjolras, I've grown rather tried of your "fearless leader"/ "protector of us all" role. I must say, it's like living with my grandfather all over again."
Enjolras opened his mouth to speak, when Combeferre ran into the room. "Enjolras, Grantaire's going to give the kid something. I don't know what, but I know it isn't good."
"Marius, get that spare bedroom ready. Something tells me Grantaire needs a nap," Enjolras said, leaving with Combeferre.
Marius laughed inwardly as he did what he was told.
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Later that day, all the students from the university were gathered in the cafe, along with some townspeople, as well as some beggars who were looking for a place of refuge from the cold. Every week, the students gathered to discuss politics and philosophy openly and opinionated. Enjolras was always head of the discussion and could turn it anyway he wanted.
Eponine and Azelma pushed their way through the crowd, pulling Gavroche off a table as they went through. They went and stood over by many of the students who were there that same morning.
"What have we missed?" Eponine whispered to Courfeyrac.
"Well, Grantaire got drunk off his ass, so we had to put him down. Personally, I think that it isn't a real meeting until Grantaire asks everyone at least twice if they've had enough to drink."
"But what did Enjolras say?" asked Azelma.
"Like we've been listening?" asked Feuilly.
"We just join in the cheering when everyone else gets excited," smiled Combeferre.
"We all know Enjolras well enough that he'll talk about whatever happened the whole next day. We don't miss much really."
Eponine and Azelma looked at each other after Joly's comment. The evening progressed as the men began a heated discussion on the conflicting views of Enlightenment thinkers. Eponine had just sat with Gavroche nodding off on her knee listening to the names "Hobbes", "Voltaire", and "Descartes" being thrown around. She turned to say something to her sister, when she noticed that Azelma, along with some of the other students, had disappeared.
'She's bound to be with him. Any excuse will do for her. I'm stuck with the gamin, and she's with her lover.'
"Is this seat taken?"
"Haven't you had enough of Gavroche for one day, Marius?"
The young man smiled at Eponine. "Gavroche isn't who I'd like to speak with now." Gavroche stirred in his sister's arms as she began to look into Marius' eyes. Something inside her went weak and she felt her stomach plunge. Why did Marius torment her so? He was just playing with infatuation, while she was struggling to hide her true feelings. The moment she saw Marius, she knew that if she got to know him, it would be a lost cause. That's why she ran off with Gavroche as fast as she did, but Marius pursued her and asked to see her again. She couldn't refuse.
"What could you want to talk to me about?"
"Just about anything except Enlightenment thinking." He looked down at Eponine's hands. They were bright red from the cold. She noticed him staring at her.
"It's been rather cold this winter."
"Why don't you buy a pair of..."
"We would, Marius. Believe me, but gloves are the last thing on my mind."
"And what is one of the first?"
'Besides you?' she thought.
"Gavroche needs shoes. He's lucky to spend so much time indoors, because if he spends more than an hour running around in what he's got on..." she trailed off.
"And what more?"
"'Zelma needs a new dress."
"And you?"
"Me?" Marius nodded. "I don't need a thing."
"I know that's a lie."
"I honestly can say that as long as 'Zelma and Gavroche are alright, that makes me happy."
"I honestly believe you, 'Ponine."
Azelma reappeared, running her fingers through her hair. "Did I..."
"No," Marius and Eponine said simultaneously. Azelma smiled with delight.
"Anyway, we should get going."
"We aren't going...home, are we?" Azelma winced.
"It's far too cold. Gavroche is sleeping, and we'll never get him home otherwise. I'm sorry, Marius. Tell Enjolras that the leader will return as soon as he realizes he's been thrown in jail and devises a clever way to escape."
With that, the three Thenardiers left the meeting and walked down the snow covered streets. Eponine carried her brother in her arms and Azelma walked close by her side. The moon was full above them, and they could see their breath every time they exhaled. They came about a block in which a group of men were sitting. Eponine heard her sister gasp.
"Just keep walking," she hissed. "Say nothing and keep walking." They approached the group, who blocked their way of getting through.
"Hello lovelies. Beautiful night, in't it?"
"You sure are a cute one, ain't you?" asked a man tugging at Azelma's hair.
"Would you let us through, sir? It's very cold, and we need..."
"Quite cold. We could help you warm up."
"We want to get home, sir."
"Fat chance! You two is a couple of whores making your way down to where the rich men is! That there bastard is proof of it."
Eponine saw that they were looking at Gavroche in her arms. She thought that in the moonlight she must have looked years older, or Gavroche looked years younger. She attempted to push her way through, but the men only laughed. Gavroche woke up and jumped from his sister's arms. He looked around and saw all the men. Eponine moaned as two men grabbed her around the waist, and tears began to stream down her face. Azelma tried to run to get Gavroche, but more men did much the same to her.
"Leave my sisters alone!" screamed the child. The men laughed, and made their way for him. Suddenly, a husky voice rang from above.
"What's going on here, boys?"
"Boss, we was just having some fun. Weren't we boys?" The other men murmured in agreement as Eponine and Azelma shivered in fright.
Gavroche looked up to the window and his voice began to crack. "Please sir, tell them to leave my sisters and me alone."
There was a pause, and Eponine guessed that the man at the window was looking around at the scene below. A more feminine voice spoke this time. "Gavroche? Who's down there with you? 'Ponine? 'Zelma?"
Eponine breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized the voice as her mother's.
"You tell your men to get their filthy hands off of my daughters!" wailed Madame.
"Let them go! They're my kids!" sighed Thenardier, closing the window.
The men looked at each other, and then dropped the girls to the ground. Rather disgusted with themselves, they went back to the wall. Eponine brushed herself off, picked up Gavroche, and took her sister's hand. They made their way into the tenement, and up to their parents' room. Madame was waiting at the door. She took Gavroche from Eponine, and placed him on a thin mattress by the stove. She came back and drew her daughters into a hug. She placed a kiss on their foreheads.
"Goodnight, my loves."
"Goodnight, Mama."
Eponine and Azelma walked over to their mattresses and looked at each other once more before they closed their eyes.
'I should have know it would happen again,' thought Eponine, still shaken by the attack. They were drunk half the time they were down there, and they never recognized the same person twice, even in broad daylight.
'That's what happens when your father is in charge of Patron-Minette.'
Marius drifted into a daydream while Gavroche drew up a map of Paris for his next plan. Not only did Marius love the little boy as if he was his own brother, but he loved the sister that cared so much for the boy. Words couldn't describe what he felt for Eponine. He remembered the day that he had found Gavroche in the square, searching franticly for anyone he knew, and then, out of nowhere, came Eponine. His eyes locked and focused on her from the second she approached. A 'thanks' was muttered as she took the boy by the hand and lead him away. Had it not been for Marius' quick offer to meet her again, she might have been lost forever.
Everything about Eponine made him smile. She was a charming, witty girl with a personality to kill and a laugh that would make you melt. Although the occasional piece of dirt found its way to her, she still was a radiant beauty. Her full eyelashes matched her thick, curly hair, which always hung loosely. And although Marius had only seen her in one dress ever since the day he met her, he thought she wore it well.
"Marius?"
"What, Gavroche?" asked Marius, coming out of his trance.
"Gavroche? My God, Marius. Do pay more attention to who's in the room with you."
"Sorry, Enjolras. I was distracted."
"Right he was, professor."
"Tell me, Gavroche. What did distract our Monsieur Marius today?"
"Gavroche...," warned Marius.
The child smiled and turned to Enjolras. "Well, my sister was here today. She was the only thing that distracted me. She overheard our plans, she did."
"She didn't! And you let her go?"
"Well..."
"Gavroche, how can I trust you to be a leader if you let anyone hear our plans?"
"I'm sorry, professor. I resign." Gavroche looked absolutely disgusted with himself as he sulked. Marius and Enjolras exchanged glances.
"I will have to refuse your resignation, Monsieur Gavroche. I need you, not matter how many times you give out information." Gavroche's face lit up once again. "Go get something to eat. But stay away from Grantaire!" Enjolras called after him.
Marius began to pull all the papers together when he noticed the rebel leader smiling at him from across the table.
"What?"
"So, Eponine was here today."
"Yes, so was Azelma. In fact, they're coming back for the meeting."
"Ah, the meeting is what they're coming back for?"
"Enjolras..."
"Marius, I am stating the obvious, and the obvious is that you are clearly taken with the girl."
"I have no clue what you're talking about."
"Denial will ruin the whole thing. If you have feelings for the girl, run with them! Don't sit around waiting for her to come to you."
"I can't deny what I don't feel."
"Then do you get some sort of kick when a girl throws herself before you, waiting for you?"
"Enjolras, I've grown rather tried of your "fearless leader"/ "protector of us all" role. I must say, it's like living with my grandfather all over again."
Enjolras opened his mouth to speak, when Combeferre ran into the room. "Enjolras, Grantaire's going to give the kid something. I don't know what, but I know it isn't good."
"Marius, get that spare bedroom ready. Something tells me Grantaire needs a nap," Enjolras said, leaving with Combeferre.
Marius laughed inwardly as he did what he was told.
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Later that day, all the students from the university were gathered in the cafe, along with some townspeople, as well as some beggars who were looking for a place of refuge from the cold. Every week, the students gathered to discuss politics and philosophy openly and opinionated. Enjolras was always head of the discussion and could turn it anyway he wanted.
Eponine and Azelma pushed their way through the crowd, pulling Gavroche off a table as they went through. They went and stood over by many of the students who were there that same morning.
"What have we missed?" Eponine whispered to Courfeyrac.
"Well, Grantaire got drunk off his ass, so we had to put him down. Personally, I think that it isn't a real meeting until Grantaire asks everyone at least twice if they've had enough to drink."
"But what did Enjolras say?" asked Azelma.
"Like we've been listening?" asked Feuilly.
"We just join in the cheering when everyone else gets excited," smiled Combeferre.
"We all know Enjolras well enough that he'll talk about whatever happened the whole next day. We don't miss much really."
Eponine and Azelma looked at each other after Joly's comment. The evening progressed as the men began a heated discussion on the conflicting views of Enlightenment thinkers. Eponine had just sat with Gavroche nodding off on her knee listening to the names "Hobbes", "Voltaire", and "Descartes" being thrown around. She turned to say something to her sister, when she noticed that Azelma, along with some of the other students, had disappeared.
'She's bound to be with him. Any excuse will do for her. I'm stuck with the gamin, and she's with her lover.'
"Is this seat taken?"
"Haven't you had enough of Gavroche for one day, Marius?"
The young man smiled at Eponine. "Gavroche isn't who I'd like to speak with now." Gavroche stirred in his sister's arms as she began to look into Marius' eyes. Something inside her went weak and she felt her stomach plunge. Why did Marius torment her so? He was just playing with infatuation, while she was struggling to hide her true feelings. The moment she saw Marius, she knew that if she got to know him, it would be a lost cause. That's why she ran off with Gavroche as fast as she did, but Marius pursued her and asked to see her again. She couldn't refuse.
"What could you want to talk to me about?"
"Just about anything except Enlightenment thinking." He looked down at Eponine's hands. They were bright red from the cold. She noticed him staring at her.
"It's been rather cold this winter."
"Why don't you buy a pair of..."
"We would, Marius. Believe me, but gloves are the last thing on my mind."
"And what is one of the first?"
'Besides you?' she thought.
"Gavroche needs shoes. He's lucky to spend so much time indoors, because if he spends more than an hour running around in what he's got on..." she trailed off.
"And what more?"
"'Zelma needs a new dress."
"And you?"
"Me?" Marius nodded. "I don't need a thing."
"I know that's a lie."
"I honestly can say that as long as 'Zelma and Gavroche are alright, that makes me happy."
"I honestly believe you, 'Ponine."
Azelma reappeared, running her fingers through her hair. "Did I..."
"No," Marius and Eponine said simultaneously. Azelma smiled with delight.
"Anyway, we should get going."
"We aren't going...home, are we?" Azelma winced.
"It's far too cold. Gavroche is sleeping, and we'll never get him home otherwise. I'm sorry, Marius. Tell Enjolras that the leader will return as soon as he realizes he's been thrown in jail and devises a clever way to escape."
With that, the three Thenardiers left the meeting and walked down the snow covered streets. Eponine carried her brother in her arms and Azelma walked close by her side. The moon was full above them, and they could see their breath every time they exhaled. They came about a block in which a group of men were sitting. Eponine heard her sister gasp.
"Just keep walking," she hissed. "Say nothing and keep walking." They approached the group, who blocked their way of getting through.
"Hello lovelies. Beautiful night, in't it?"
"You sure are a cute one, ain't you?" asked a man tugging at Azelma's hair.
"Would you let us through, sir? It's very cold, and we need..."
"Quite cold. We could help you warm up."
"We want to get home, sir."
"Fat chance! You two is a couple of whores making your way down to where the rich men is! That there bastard is proof of it."
Eponine saw that they were looking at Gavroche in her arms. She thought that in the moonlight she must have looked years older, or Gavroche looked years younger. She attempted to push her way through, but the men only laughed. Gavroche woke up and jumped from his sister's arms. He looked around and saw all the men. Eponine moaned as two men grabbed her around the waist, and tears began to stream down her face. Azelma tried to run to get Gavroche, but more men did much the same to her.
"Leave my sisters alone!" screamed the child. The men laughed, and made their way for him. Suddenly, a husky voice rang from above.
"What's going on here, boys?"
"Boss, we was just having some fun. Weren't we boys?" The other men murmured in agreement as Eponine and Azelma shivered in fright.
Gavroche looked up to the window and his voice began to crack. "Please sir, tell them to leave my sisters and me alone."
There was a pause, and Eponine guessed that the man at the window was looking around at the scene below. A more feminine voice spoke this time. "Gavroche? Who's down there with you? 'Ponine? 'Zelma?"
Eponine breathed a sigh of relief as she recognized the voice as her mother's.
"You tell your men to get their filthy hands off of my daughters!" wailed Madame.
"Let them go! They're my kids!" sighed Thenardier, closing the window.
The men looked at each other, and then dropped the girls to the ground. Rather disgusted with themselves, they went back to the wall. Eponine brushed herself off, picked up Gavroche, and took her sister's hand. They made their way into the tenement, and up to their parents' room. Madame was waiting at the door. She took Gavroche from Eponine, and placed him on a thin mattress by the stove. She came back and drew her daughters into a hug. She placed a kiss on their foreheads.
"Goodnight, my loves."
"Goodnight, Mama."
Eponine and Azelma walked over to their mattresses and looked at each other once more before they closed their eyes.
'I should have know it would happen again,' thought Eponine, still shaken by the attack. They were drunk half the time they were down there, and they never recognized the same person twice, even in broad daylight.
'That's what happens when your father is in charge of Patron-Minette.'