Chapter 3
Eponine awoke just before dawn. She sat up slowly and looked around the room. Azelma was fast asleep next to her, while Gavroche was up, and making his way towards the door.
"Gavroche," his sister whispered across the room. He turned, in shock at first, then relieved to see that it was only Eponine. He walked over to her and sat down in her lap.
"Couldn't sleep, 'Ponine."
"That, and you'd rather be anywhere but here?"
"Yep. I hate our family. 'Cept for you and 'Zelma. You and 'Zelma is my only family. You is my mother, and 'Zelma is like my second mother."
Eponine smiled at her brother's rambling. He soon yawned and fell back asleep. She moved him over to his mattress.
"Did he try again?"
Eponine looked up and saw her mother coming out from her parent's room. She motioned to be quiet, which meant that Thenardier was still sound asleep.
"Yes, he did." Eponine stood and walked over to her mother. Her mother took her daughter's hand and patted it.
"You're his true mother, 'Ponine. I'm sorry I made you do that. 'Zelma, too. I didn't raise them. I hardly raised you."
"I turned out alright."
"Wasn't my doing." Madame dropped her daughter's hand, and Eponine felt something in her palm. She looked, and there were three crumpled bills in her hand. She looked at her mother. "It's all I could get. If I can get any more away from him, I'll give it to you. I know you'll buy whatever you need with it." Her mother went back into the room. Eponine pocketed the money, and moved to her sister. The sun was now brightly shining, and the light was beginning to stream through the tiny window.
"'Zelma," she said, rousing her sister from her sleep.
"Oh, 'Ponine..."
"We have to go, now." She picked up her sleeping brother and turned around. Azelma was already at the door, rubbing her eyes with one hand while opening the door with the other.
Minutes later, Madame came out of her room again to find all three children gone. She picked up the mattresses, and piled them in the corner. She sighed to herself as she made her way to the kitchen.
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Later that morning, the three children were standing at the pier. Eponine had used some of the money to buy a loaf of bread, and was now talking with her sister about what else was a priority. Gavroche picked apart his bread, and started throwing crumbs in the water. Azelma noticed this and moved to her brother.
"Gavroche, you're wasting food."
"No, 'Zelma, look! The ducks are eating it. They're hungry, too. All they eat is fish, and I thought they might like some of my bread."
"That's very good thinking, Gavroche, but how about you eat your bread. I'm sure the ducks will be fine." Gavroche shrugged, and began to stuff crumbs in his mouth.
"What do we really need, 'Ponine?"
Eponine looked at their clothing. "We need more than we can afford."
"Alright. What do you need?"
"I don't need anything," Eponine lied. "What do you need?"
"Will you stop being a martyr? Mama gave the money to you..."
"Only because she knows I would use it on you. Tell me, what do you need?"
"We both need new dresses."
"We can't buy that, plus new shoes for Gavroche, with what we have."
"Morning!" Marius came upon the group. The girls saw a package beneath his arm.
"What have you got there, Marius?" asked Azelma.
"Morning, Marius!"
"Hello, Gavroche. Listen, Enjolras and I were talking last night and we decided that if you are going to be our leader, you're going to have to dress like a leader." Marius handed Gavroche the package, and the boy's eyes widened.
"Really? Oh, thank you so much! And Enjolras, too, of course!"
"You are very welcome. But don't open that here." Gavroche stuffed his bread in his pocket and began to examine the package.
"You didn't have to do that, Marius. He only needed new shoes, which we were just on our way to get."
"It's not charity, Eponine. It's a gift. It's from all of the students. Gavroche doesn't have a birthday, has he?"
"Of course he does, but we haven't a clue when it is."
"Tell him it's today. Or at least tell yourself that his birthday is today," offered Marius.
"Gavroche, lets go feed some ducks," Azelma said taking her brother's hand.
"But you just said..."
"Forget what I said." She smiled over her shoulder at Eponine.
"Marius, I appreciate it, believe me, but I can't accept it."
"Of course you can't. Gavroche can, though."
"Marius..."
"Why do you get this way?"
"What way?"
"Overprotective."
"I do not!"
"You just did."
Eponine just stood baffled. Marius hadn't a centime to his name, and yet he insisted on making sure that she and her siblings were alright.
"Why do you care what happens to a few ragamuffins?"
Marius didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell Eponine it was because he was in love with her. She would never love him.
"I care about you all as if you were my family. Family watches out for each other."
"Believe me, no one knows that as well as I do."
"Please just accept this one thing. Just keep the clothes for him."
"Fine. And thank you again."
"Don't thank me, just do me a favor." He took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Take this to the dressmaker and don't leave until she reads it."
'Not again,' she thought. She loved Marius with all her heart, but he always made her go to talk to a girl before he made any sort of move. He had done that before and she knew that he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. But she couldn't refuse. She never refused Marius. She was afraid that if she did, then Marius would suspect that she had feelings for him. She took the envelope from him.
"Fine."
"Come back to the cafe after she responds."
"I will. Come on, 'Zelma!"
Her siblings ran over to her and they started walking to the dressmaker's shop. Eponine opened the door and ushered Azelma and Gavroche inside.
"Don't touch anything," Azelma whispered to their brother. They walked up to the counter, and the woman behind eyed them suspiciously.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"I was told to give you this envelope by a student, Marius Pontmercy." She handed her the envelope.
"I don't know anyone of that name," said the woman taking it. She opened it and read the letter. Her eyes widened. "Oh, excuse me, Mademoiselles! Please, right this way!"
Eponine and Azelma followed her with Gavroche. The two girls looked at each other and then at the woman.
"My name is Marie. Now, you, mademoiselle," she said, pointing to Azelma. "Be so good as to stand on this box." She pointed to a box as she pulled out measuring tape.
Eponine looked extremely confused as Marie placed her sister on the pedestal and began taking measurements.
"Excuse me, Mademoiselle, but what exactly did that letter say?"
"It said that I was to measure and supply new dresses for the two ladies that came with the letter. It's all been paid for, it said "as a gift from all the students." I should have some dresses in back that will fit you. Just to check. Thank you. Now you."
Eponine felt hurt that Marius had tricked her again, but she yielded, and stood as Marie measured her. She felt like a princess waiting for her extravagant gown to be made. Marie disappeared for a few minutes, during which Eponine and Azelma helped Gavroche dress in his new clothes. Eponine pulled a cap over his head and smiled.
"Now you truly look like a leader."
Marie reappeared and pushed the two girls into a room. When they came out and stood in front of the mirror, they hardly recognized themselves. They wore only simple woolen work dresses of dark blue and green, but they were a great improvement over the rags that had now been thrown away.
"Holy! You both look...nice," commented Gavroche from behind.
"They do, indeed. I thought that you might like to wipe off your faces," said Marie, handing each of the Thenardiers a piece of wet cloth.
Moments later, the three children looked cleaner, neater, and happier than they had been only an hour ago.
"Eponine," said Gavroche looking up. "It's warm in these clothes."
Eponine sighed happily. "Come on. We have someone to thank for this."
"And I have a meeting to head!"
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The students were bored stiff in the late afternoon. Enjolras was hiding in the corner attempting to write a speech for next week's meeting, while Joly and Feuilly gave up on their game of 'Old Maid'. Grantaire was prancing about slurring the same old tune that he always did. Marius was sitting among some of the other students who were talking about worldly events, but Marius didn't hear them.
Suddenly, Marius heard Gavroche's voice, although he must have been blocks away, and he ran through the door. Enjolras looked, smiled to himself, and resumed writing. Marius excused himself from the group and picked up the little boy, placing him on a table so that the two were eye level.
"Hello, Marius."
"Where are your sisters?" Marius stopped and looked at Gavroche. He looked one hundred percent improved from when Marius saw him last. Every piece of clothing fit perfectly, as before when the clothes seemed to be bursting at the seems. Marius reflected that this was probably the second pair of clothes the child had received in his life.
"They were walking really slowly."
"Did they get their new clothes?"
"Yes, but Eponine wasn't too happy."
"I didn't think she would be."
"Morning, Gavroche. Well, what did I tell you Marius? Our leader looks much improved!"
"Thank you very much, Enjolras!"
"Well, being it's your birthday today, I think you can lead the real meeting for a while. How old does that make you?"
"10!"
"10! My word. I do believe the boy is catching up to us, Enjolras," humored Marius.
"Come on, Gavroche. I'll show you what I'm going to say tonight."
As the two left, Marius turned around and looked at the door. Two girls had just entered, two girls who he was sure he had never seen before. Grantaire stumbled over to him and looked at the girls too.
"Who are they? Never seen them before."
Marius recognized the thick, brown, curly hair that the girl had pulled back.
"That's Eponine and Azelma," he said more in shock than in confirmation.
The two girls made their way down as every pair of eyes was turned on them. The two girls, whose appearances were all too familiar to the students, were now almost completely transformed. The students looked around at each other, amazed at what a few francs contribution had done for the three. Eponine walked over to Marius and smiled.
"You did it again."
"It was the only way," smiled Marius back.
"This can't be Eponine," stated Grantaire. "If this is Eponine, then this here is...Azelma?" Eponine's sister smiled shyly. "Is it really? My, my, my," he said trailing off and walking back to the bar. Azelma walked over to the group that had once been occupied by Marius. Eponine stood where she was, while Marius just looked her over.
"It's not such a great improvement, is it?"
"Well, I think that pulling your hair back makes you look incredibly different. I think it would look much nicer if you let it down."
As if it were a command, Eponine's hair was taken out of the bun, and was now hanging loosely.
"Is that better?"
"Yes, I do believe so."
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Marius?"
Eponine smiled her wonderful smile, and Marius decided. He lowered his head to hers, and their lips met. The only people who saw this were Enjolras and Azelma, who both looked between each other and the two kissing. Marius suddenly pulled back and they stared at each other.
"I'm sorry, 'Ponine."
"For what?"
"For..."
"You didn't..." Eponine stopped. She looked at Marius and then to the floor. She moved back and then turned towards the door. Azelma ran after her, and Enjolras went to Marius.
"Go get her!"
"What difference does it make? She doesn't feel that way about me."
"And what if she does? You'll never know unless..."
"Enjolras! I'm a grown man, and I can make my own choices!" Everyone in the cafe looked at him. He grabbed his coat and went out the door.
He walked down the street, infuriated with himself. Now that he had kissed Eponine and seen her reaction, he thought his heart would melt. His worst fears had come true. Eponine did not love him.
Eponine awoke just before dawn. She sat up slowly and looked around the room. Azelma was fast asleep next to her, while Gavroche was up, and making his way towards the door.
"Gavroche," his sister whispered across the room. He turned, in shock at first, then relieved to see that it was only Eponine. He walked over to her and sat down in her lap.
"Couldn't sleep, 'Ponine."
"That, and you'd rather be anywhere but here?"
"Yep. I hate our family. 'Cept for you and 'Zelma. You and 'Zelma is my only family. You is my mother, and 'Zelma is like my second mother."
Eponine smiled at her brother's rambling. He soon yawned and fell back asleep. She moved him over to his mattress.
"Did he try again?"
Eponine looked up and saw her mother coming out from her parent's room. She motioned to be quiet, which meant that Thenardier was still sound asleep.
"Yes, he did." Eponine stood and walked over to her mother. Her mother took her daughter's hand and patted it.
"You're his true mother, 'Ponine. I'm sorry I made you do that. 'Zelma, too. I didn't raise them. I hardly raised you."
"I turned out alright."
"Wasn't my doing." Madame dropped her daughter's hand, and Eponine felt something in her palm. She looked, and there were three crumpled bills in her hand. She looked at her mother. "It's all I could get. If I can get any more away from him, I'll give it to you. I know you'll buy whatever you need with it." Her mother went back into the room. Eponine pocketed the money, and moved to her sister. The sun was now brightly shining, and the light was beginning to stream through the tiny window.
"'Zelma," she said, rousing her sister from her sleep.
"Oh, 'Ponine..."
"We have to go, now." She picked up her sleeping brother and turned around. Azelma was already at the door, rubbing her eyes with one hand while opening the door with the other.
Minutes later, Madame came out of her room again to find all three children gone. She picked up the mattresses, and piled them in the corner. She sighed to herself as she made her way to the kitchen.
************************************************************************
Later that morning, the three children were standing at the pier. Eponine had used some of the money to buy a loaf of bread, and was now talking with her sister about what else was a priority. Gavroche picked apart his bread, and started throwing crumbs in the water. Azelma noticed this and moved to her brother.
"Gavroche, you're wasting food."
"No, 'Zelma, look! The ducks are eating it. They're hungry, too. All they eat is fish, and I thought they might like some of my bread."
"That's very good thinking, Gavroche, but how about you eat your bread. I'm sure the ducks will be fine." Gavroche shrugged, and began to stuff crumbs in his mouth.
"What do we really need, 'Ponine?"
Eponine looked at their clothing. "We need more than we can afford."
"Alright. What do you need?"
"I don't need anything," Eponine lied. "What do you need?"
"Will you stop being a martyr? Mama gave the money to you..."
"Only because she knows I would use it on you. Tell me, what do you need?"
"We both need new dresses."
"We can't buy that, plus new shoes for Gavroche, with what we have."
"Morning!" Marius came upon the group. The girls saw a package beneath his arm.
"What have you got there, Marius?" asked Azelma.
"Morning, Marius!"
"Hello, Gavroche. Listen, Enjolras and I were talking last night and we decided that if you are going to be our leader, you're going to have to dress like a leader." Marius handed Gavroche the package, and the boy's eyes widened.
"Really? Oh, thank you so much! And Enjolras, too, of course!"
"You are very welcome. But don't open that here." Gavroche stuffed his bread in his pocket and began to examine the package.
"You didn't have to do that, Marius. He only needed new shoes, which we were just on our way to get."
"It's not charity, Eponine. It's a gift. It's from all of the students. Gavroche doesn't have a birthday, has he?"
"Of course he does, but we haven't a clue when it is."
"Tell him it's today. Or at least tell yourself that his birthday is today," offered Marius.
"Gavroche, lets go feed some ducks," Azelma said taking her brother's hand.
"But you just said..."
"Forget what I said." She smiled over her shoulder at Eponine.
"Marius, I appreciate it, believe me, but I can't accept it."
"Of course you can't. Gavroche can, though."
"Marius..."
"Why do you get this way?"
"What way?"
"Overprotective."
"I do not!"
"You just did."
Eponine just stood baffled. Marius hadn't a centime to his name, and yet he insisted on making sure that she and her siblings were alright.
"Why do you care what happens to a few ragamuffins?"
Marius didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell Eponine it was because he was in love with her. She would never love him.
"I care about you all as if you were my family. Family watches out for each other."
"Believe me, no one knows that as well as I do."
"Please just accept this one thing. Just keep the clothes for him."
"Fine. And thank you again."
"Don't thank me, just do me a favor." He took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Take this to the dressmaker and don't leave until she reads it."
'Not again,' she thought. She loved Marius with all her heart, but he always made her go to talk to a girl before he made any sort of move. He had done that before and she knew that he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. But she couldn't refuse. She never refused Marius. She was afraid that if she did, then Marius would suspect that she had feelings for him. She took the envelope from him.
"Fine."
"Come back to the cafe after she responds."
"I will. Come on, 'Zelma!"
Her siblings ran over to her and they started walking to the dressmaker's shop. Eponine opened the door and ushered Azelma and Gavroche inside.
"Don't touch anything," Azelma whispered to their brother. They walked up to the counter, and the woman behind eyed them suspiciously.
"Can I help you with anything?"
"I was told to give you this envelope by a student, Marius Pontmercy." She handed her the envelope.
"I don't know anyone of that name," said the woman taking it. She opened it and read the letter. Her eyes widened. "Oh, excuse me, Mademoiselles! Please, right this way!"
Eponine and Azelma followed her with Gavroche. The two girls looked at each other and then at the woman.
"My name is Marie. Now, you, mademoiselle," she said, pointing to Azelma. "Be so good as to stand on this box." She pointed to a box as she pulled out measuring tape.
Eponine looked extremely confused as Marie placed her sister on the pedestal and began taking measurements.
"Excuse me, Mademoiselle, but what exactly did that letter say?"
"It said that I was to measure and supply new dresses for the two ladies that came with the letter. It's all been paid for, it said "as a gift from all the students." I should have some dresses in back that will fit you. Just to check. Thank you. Now you."
Eponine felt hurt that Marius had tricked her again, but she yielded, and stood as Marie measured her. She felt like a princess waiting for her extravagant gown to be made. Marie disappeared for a few minutes, during which Eponine and Azelma helped Gavroche dress in his new clothes. Eponine pulled a cap over his head and smiled.
"Now you truly look like a leader."
Marie reappeared and pushed the two girls into a room. When they came out and stood in front of the mirror, they hardly recognized themselves. They wore only simple woolen work dresses of dark blue and green, but they were a great improvement over the rags that had now been thrown away.
"Holy! You both look...nice," commented Gavroche from behind.
"They do, indeed. I thought that you might like to wipe off your faces," said Marie, handing each of the Thenardiers a piece of wet cloth.
Moments later, the three children looked cleaner, neater, and happier than they had been only an hour ago.
"Eponine," said Gavroche looking up. "It's warm in these clothes."
Eponine sighed happily. "Come on. We have someone to thank for this."
"And I have a meeting to head!"
************************************************************************
The students were bored stiff in the late afternoon. Enjolras was hiding in the corner attempting to write a speech for next week's meeting, while Joly and Feuilly gave up on their game of 'Old Maid'. Grantaire was prancing about slurring the same old tune that he always did. Marius was sitting among some of the other students who were talking about worldly events, but Marius didn't hear them.
Suddenly, Marius heard Gavroche's voice, although he must have been blocks away, and he ran through the door. Enjolras looked, smiled to himself, and resumed writing. Marius excused himself from the group and picked up the little boy, placing him on a table so that the two were eye level.
"Hello, Marius."
"Where are your sisters?" Marius stopped and looked at Gavroche. He looked one hundred percent improved from when Marius saw him last. Every piece of clothing fit perfectly, as before when the clothes seemed to be bursting at the seems. Marius reflected that this was probably the second pair of clothes the child had received in his life.
"They were walking really slowly."
"Did they get their new clothes?"
"Yes, but Eponine wasn't too happy."
"I didn't think she would be."
"Morning, Gavroche. Well, what did I tell you Marius? Our leader looks much improved!"
"Thank you very much, Enjolras!"
"Well, being it's your birthday today, I think you can lead the real meeting for a while. How old does that make you?"
"10!"
"10! My word. I do believe the boy is catching up to us, Enjolras," humored Marius.
"Come on, Gavroche. I'll show you what I'm going to say tonight."
As the two left, Marius turned around and looked at the door. Two girls had just entered, two girls who he was sure he had never seen before. Grantaire stumbled over to him and looked at the girls too.
"Who are they? Never seen them before."
Marius recognized the thick, brown, curly hair that the girl had pulled back.
"That's Eponine and Azelma," he said more in shock than in confirmation.
The two girls made their way down as every pair of eyes was turned on them. The two girls, whose appearances were all too familiar to the students, were now almost completely transformed. The students looked around at each other, amazed at what a few francs contribution had done for the three. Eponine walked over to Marius and smiled.
"You did it again."
"It was the only way," smiled Marius back.
"This can't be Eponine," stated Grantaire. "If this is Eponine, then this here is...Azelma?" Eponine's sister smiled shyly. "Is it really? My, my, my," he said trailing off and walking back to the bar. Azelma walked over to the group that had once been occupied by Marius. Eponine stood where she was, while Marius just looked her over.
"It's not such a great improvement, is it?"
"Well, I think that pulling your hair back makes you look incredibly different. I think it would look much nicer if you let it down."
As if it were a command, Eponine's hair was taken out of the bun, and was now hanging loosely.
"Is that better?"
"Yes, I do believe so."
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Marius?"
Eponine smiled her wonderful smile, and Marius decided. He lowered his head to hers, and their lips met. The only people who saw this were Enjolras and Azelma, who both looked between each other and the two kissing. Marius suddenly pulled back and they stared at each other.
"I'm sorry, 'Ponine."
"For what?"
"For..."
"You didn't..." Eponine stopped. She looked at Marius and then to the floor. She moved back and then turned towards the door. Azelma ran after her, and Enjolras went to Marius.
"Go get her!"
"What difference does it make? She doesn't feel that way about me."
"And what if she does? You'll never know unless..."
"Enjolras! I'm a grown man, and I can make my own choices!" Everyone in the cafe looked at him. He grabbed his coat and went out the door.
He walked down the street, infuriated with himself. Now that he had kissed Eponine and seen her reaction, he thought his heart would melt. His worst fears had come true. Eponine did not love him.