Chapter 8
As April moved into May, Eponine began to see less and less of Marius. Between his whirlwind romance, the planning of the barricade, and classes at the university, Marius was never in the same place for very long. Gavroche was spending more and more time with the students. Enjolras thought that by doing this, another incident could be prevented.
By the end of May, all the preparations were set and the only thing they needed was to build the barricade. They had taken to the streets to encourage the people to join their fight. This was the same night in which their beloved leader, General Lamarque, passed on. Enjolras said that it was the perfect sign and that the people were needed now more than ever.
As the tensions were building on the first days of June, something unexpected happened. Eponine was the only one in the cafe at the time, and Marius walked up to the bar top in a sort of daze. Eponine took note of the time conscious of the fact that he should be in class, like the others were.
"Marius, do you know what time it is?"
"Does it really matter?"
"What are you talking about?"
"She can't do this to me."
Eponine felt her stomach plunge as she realized that whatever was wrong had to do with the girl, Cosette. "What did she do?"
"She's leaving me."
"How?"
"Her father is taking her to England. My God, 'Ponine, do you know what she said to me?" Eponine shook her head sadly. "She said, 'Come with me. Follow me to England. That way we can be together.' 'Ponine, it broke my heart to tell her the truth."
"The truth?"
"I'm poor! I live with Courfeyrac. I eat what no one else wants or whatever you give me."
"If you ask your grandfather..."
"There's no way I'm asking him for money. And if he asks me what it's for..."
"Marius, you're getting hysterical. Maybe this is an indication that you and Cosette were never meant to be together."
"Or maybe it's a sign that we need to try harder."
"You can't think about this with the revolution days away. You need to get to class."
Marius had his head in his hands and sighed deeply. He looked up at her. "Eponine, what would I do if you weren't here to put me in my place?"
"Then you would have Enjolras to put you there."
"You mean I won't be able to?" asked Enjolras coming up behind Marius.
"I think he might need another talk," smiled Eponine. "His pill's a little hard to swallow."
"Let's go, Marius. Forget that girl, and think about freedom."
"I'm not so sure which I would pick if I had to."
"Believe me, Marius. You'd pick freedom."
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"Feuilly, give me a count of every gun and bit of ammunition we have."
"I'm already on it."
"Jehan, bring more chairs out."
"As you say, Enjolras."
"Grantaire, do anything productive. Azelma, go help your sister."
A few days later, everyone was hurriedly getting ready for that battle that was suppose to ensue that very night. Enjolras looked at the barricade being built right in front of the cafe and right before his very eyes.
Marius came up next to Enjolras and stared.
"Well, that was fast."
"Where have you been."
"Writing a letter. Is Eponine around?"
"What for?" There was a pause. "Oh, God. No, Marius."
"She's the only one who can, Enjolras."
"Play your love game, Marius. I haven't time to be your grandfather right now."
Marius entered the cafe where many women were preparing food in the kitchen and lining up tables like in a hospital. They were preparing for the worst, but Marius hoped that would not be the case. He instantly spotted Eponine and ran up to her.
"Marius, what are you doing?"
"I need you to take this letter to Cosette. But you have to promise me something."
"What?"
"After she gets it, don't come back here. I can't run the risk of you being hurt."
"Marius, I have to come back."
"Promise me you won't."
"Marius..."
"Promise me, 'Ponine!"
"Fine, fine. I promise," she said grabbing the letter and running out the door.
Marius watched her leave, feeling a sense of security. Eponine didn't know what the letter contained. It was a goodbye note to Cosette, a final goodbye. Eponine had made him think the other day, and he concluded that Cosette's departure meant that fate was pushing him and Eponine together. He found that he still loved her and that his feelings for Cosette were nothing but an unreal obsession. After this fight, he was going to have to speak to Eponine about what his true feelings were, even if she didn't return them. She had to know how he felt.
Marius heard cheering outside and went to investigate. He saw Enjolras standing with a man he had never seen before. The man shook Enjolras' hand and made his way over the barricade.
"Who was that?"
"A man who's going to help us. He's going to spy on the opposition for us and tell us their movements."
"Can we trust him?"
"He was very sincere."
"I'll leave the judgment on character to you, Fearless Leader."
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Eponine ran as fast as she could to Cosette's house. The sun was going down and she didn't feel like walking back to the cafe in the dark with the National Guard hiding. She came to the gate and saw Cosette reading on the bench.
"Cosette," hissed Eponine. The girl looked up and made her way over to the gate. "I have a letter for you."
"From Marius?" Eponine nodded and handed it through the bars. "When are you leaving for England?"
"Tomorrow morning, if Father ever decides to come home."
"Where has he been?"
"Out somewhere. Business, I'm presuming. Thank you for coming, but do you realize how much danger you're in?"
"I don't think I'm in that much."
"The army is out there."
"They won't shoot civilians."
"You aren't going back to the barricade?"
"Marius told me not to." Eponine suddenly remembered something. "But I have to go back."
"Why? What happened?"
"My sister and brother are there in the cafe. They built their barricade in front of it. Oh God, how could I have forgotten?"
"You better go now!"
Eponine didn't need to be told twice. She tore down the street at twice the speed she had gone coming. She didn't want to disobey Marius, but she couldn't risk the lives of her siblings.
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"Friends, I've just come from their lines. Gather around and I'll tell you what I can."
Gavroche looked up from his place where he was sitting with Enjolras.
"Who's talking?"
"Oh, the spy's back. Come on Gavroche."
The spy's voice echoed throughout the cafe, and it haunted the child. He knew that voice, and it was the voice of a spy. But not a spy from the students' side. Gavroche smiled as he made his way to the front of the crowd. He climbed on the table next to the man and looked at him intently. The spy turned to look at Gavroche, and his eyes widened in fear.
"Good evening, Inspector Javert." He turned to talk to his friends. "I can't believe the lot of you were fooled by the likes of him! He's a spy all right, but not for us! He's ratting us out to the other side while telling us that he is our friend!"
The students glared angrily at Javert. They pulled him off the table and dragged him in the back room. Enjolras grabbed Gavroche and put him on the ground. The leader knelt beside the boy.
"How did you know it was him?"
"I've been plotting my revenge for a while now."
They both looked up as Eponine ran through the door holding her chest. She was gasping for air and Marius ran over to her.
"'Ponine, what the hell are you doing here?"
"I...couldn't...leave...Gavroche...and...'Zelma," she said between gasps of air.
"What happened?"
"I was walking down the street, and all of a sudden, an officer came up behind me. I started running, so he started chasing me. I ran up the barricade, and he took a shot."
"Oh, dear God. 'Ponine, you aren't..."
"No, I'm not. But I ran all the way from Rue Plumet. I can barely breathe."
Enjolras came up next to her. "Take Gavroche and Azelma and get out of here."
"What about..."
"Azelma, Grantaire will be no asset to us the way he is. You might as well take him with you as well."
Azelma went to gather the two as Enjolras went back outside.
"Marius, as soon as the three of them are safe, I'm coming back."
"No, 'Ponine. Not again. I forbid you to come back."
"You can't do that."
"You're risking your life coming back. I won't let you do that."
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't come back."
Marius looked at Eponine. "Because I love you."
As April moved into May, Eponine began to see less and less of Marius. Between his whirlwind romance, the planning of the barricade, and classes at the university, Marius was never in the same place for very long. Gavroche was spending more and more time with the students. Enjolras thought that by doing this, another incident could be prevented.
By the end of May, all the preparations were set and the only thing they needed was to build the barricade. They had taken to the streets to encourage the people to join their fight. This was the same night in which their beloved leader, General Lamarque, passed on. Enjolras said that it was the perfect sign and that the people were needed now more than ever.
As the tensions were building on the first days of June, something unexpected happened. Eponine was the only one in the cafe at the time, and Marius walked up to the bar top in a sort of daze. Eponine took note of the time conscious of the fact that he should be in class, like the others were.
"Marius, do you know what time it is?"
"Does it really matter?"
"What are you talking about?"
"She can't do this to me."
Eponine felt her stomach plunge as she realized that whatever was wrong had to do with the girl, Cosette. "What did she do?"
"She's leaving me."
"How?"
"Her father is taking her to England. My God, 'Ponine, do you know what she said to me?" Eponine shook her head sadly. "She said, 'Come with me. Follow me to England. That way we can be together.' 'Ponine, it broke my heart to tell her the truth."
"The truth?"
"I'm poor! I live with Courfeyrac. I eat what no one else wants or whatever you give me."
"If you ask your grandfather..."
"There's no way I'm asking him for money. And if he asks me what it's for..."
"Marius, you're getting hysterical. Maybe this is an indication that you and Cosette were never meant to be together."
"Or maybe it's a sign that we need to try harder."
"You can't think about this with the revolution days away. You need to get to class."
Marius had his head in his hands and sighed deeply. He looked up at her. "Eponine, what would I do if you weren't here to put me in my place?"
"Then you would have Enjolras to put you there."
"You mean I won't be able to?" asked Enjolras coming up behind Marius.
"I think he might need another talk," smiled Eponine. "His pill's a little hard to swallow."
"Let's go, Marius. Forget that girl, and think about freedom."
"I'm not so sure which I would pick if I had to."
"Believe me, Marius. You'd pick freedom."
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"Feuilly, give me a count of every gun and bit of ammunition we have."
"I'm already on it."
"Jehan, bring more chairs out."
"As you say, Enjolras."
"Grantaire, do anything productive. Azelma, go help your sister."
A few days later, everyone was hurriedly getting ready for that battle that was suppose to ensue that very night. Enjolras looked at the barricade being built right in front of the cafe and right before his very eyes.
Marius came up next to Enjolras and stared.
"Well, that was fast."
"Where have you been."
"Writing a letter. Is Eponine around?"
"What for?" There was a pause. "Oh, God. No, Marius."
"She's the only one who can, Enjolras."
"Play your love game, Marius. I haven't time to be your grandfather right now."
Marius entered the cafe where many women were preparing food in the kitchen and lining up tables like in a hospital. They were preparing for the worst, but Marius hoped that would not be the case. He instantly spotted Eponine and ran up to her.
"Marius, what are you doing?"
"I need you to take this letter to Cosette. But you have to promise me something."
"What?"
"After she gets it, don't come back here. I can't run the risk of you being hurt."
"Marius, I have to come back."
"Promise me you won't."
"Marius..."
"Promise me, 'Ponine!"
"Fine, fine. I promise," she said grabbing the letter and running out the door.
Marius watched her leave, feeling a sense of security. Eponine didn't know what the letter contained. It was a goodbye note to Cosette, a final goodbye. Eponine had made him think the other day, and he concluded that Cosette's departure meant that fate was pushing him and Eponine together. He found that he still loved her and that his feelings for Cosette were nothing but an unreal obsession. After this fight, he was going to have to speak to Eponine about what his true feelings were, even if she didn't return them. She had to know how he felt.
Marius heard cheering outside and went to investigate. He saw Enjolras standing with a man he had never seen before. The man shook Enjolras' hand and made his way over the barricade.
"Who was that?"
"A man who's going to help us. He's going to spy on the opposition for us and tell us their movements."
"Can we trust him?"
"He was very sincere."
"I'll leave the judgment on character to you, Fearless Leader."
************************************************************************
Eponine ran as fast as she could to Cosette's house. The sun was going down and she didn't feel like walking back to the cafe in the dark with the National Guard hiding. She came to the gate and saw Cosette reading on the bench.
"Cosette," hissed Eponine. The girl looked up and made her way over to the gate. "I have a letter for you."
"From Marius?" Eponine nodded and handed it through the bars. "When are you leaving for England?"
"Tomorrow morning, if Father ever decides to come home."
"Where has he been?"
"Out somewhere. Business, I'm presuming. Thank you for coming, but do you realize how much danger you're in?"
"I don't think I'm in that much."
"The army is out there."
"They won't shoot civilians."
"You aren't going back to the barricade?"
"Marius told me not to." Eponine suddenly remembered something. "But I have to go back."
"Why? What happened?"
"My sister and brother are there in the cafe. They built their barricade in front of it. Oh God, how could I have forgotten?"
"You better go now!"
Eponine didn't need to be told twice. She tore down the street at twice the speed she had gone coming. She didn't want to disobey Marius, but she couldn't risk the lives of her siblings.
************************************************************************
"Friends, I've just come from their lines. Gather around and I'll tell you what I can."
Gavroche looked up from his place where he was sitting with Enjolras.
"Who's talking?"
"Oh, the spy's back. Come on Gavroche."
The spy's voice echoed throughout the cafe, and it haunted the child. He knew that voice, and it was the voice of a spy. But not a spy from the students' side. Gavroche smiled as he made his way to the front of the crowd. He climbed on the table next to the man and looked at him intently. The spy turned to look at Gavroche, and his eyes widened in fear.
"Good evening, Inspector Javert." He turned to talk to his friends. "I can't believe the lot of you were fooled by the likes of him! He's a spy all right, but not for us! He's ratting us out to the other side while telling us that he is our friend!"
The students glared angrily at Javert. They pulled him off the table and dragged him in the back room. Enjolras grabbed Gavroche and put him on the ground. The leader knelt beside the boy.
"How did you know it was him?"
"I've been plotting my revenge for a while now."
They both looked up as Eponine ran through the door holding her chest. She was gasping for air and Marius ran over to her.
"'Ponine, what the hell are you doing here?"
"I...couldn't...leave...Gavroche...and...'Zelma," she said between gasps of air.
"What happened?"
"I was walking down the street, and all of a sudden, an officer came up behind me. I started running, so he started chasing me. I ran up the barricade, and he took a shot."
"Oh, dear God. 'Ponine, you aren't..."
"No, I'm not. But I ran all the way from Rue Plumet. I can barely breathe."
Enjolras came up next to her. "Take Gavroche and Azelma and get out of here."
"What about..."
"Azelma, Grantaire will be no asset to us the way he is. You might as well take him with you as well."
Azelma went to gather the two as Enjolras went back outside.
"Marius, as soon as the three of them are safe, I'm coming back."
"No, 'Ponine. Not again. I forbid you to come back."
"You can't do that."
"You're risking your life coming back. I won't let you do that."
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't come back."
Marius looked at Eponine. "Because I love you."