Chapter 11 a.k.a. Epilogue
Eponine stood in the back doorway of the home she and Marius had built together. She looked around the meadow that decorated their backyard. The springtime had left green grass, colorful flowers, and blue, cloudless skies. Eponine turned back into the house and took her apron off. She looked down at her stomach and rubbed it.
The clock in the hallway chimed half past five. Marius would be home today. He had journeyed into Paris for a case a few days ago and was coming back this evening. He had said he would be staying with Enjolras and Gavroche while visiting Grantaire, Azelma, and Emilie. Emilie was Eponine's five-year-old niece who she saw once a month when the six friends gathered at the Pontmercy residence.
Over the past ten years, Eponine had noticed her sister and brother seemed to grow up more and more each time she saw them. The passage of time and distance between the siblings made them seem older and older as the years went by. Time had also changed Grantaire. He gave up his drinking habits, except perhaps a casual drink in the afternoon or a glass of wine with dinner. Enjolras had sworn himself a confirmed bachelor, and had stuck to it. He had obtained a position at the university teaching political sciences, and he loved it. His students never complained and walked out of the room more than enlightened. Gavroche, once a confirmed bachelor like his roommate, had given in and fallen in love with a girl named Laetitia Merle. Her father was the owner of a textile factory in Paris. Marius and Eponine were going to visit him and the girl's family in a few weeks and perhaps even consent to their marriage.
Eponine walked into the sitting room where a child sat in a chair with a book.
"Gustave, what are you reading?"
The boy looked up at his mother. His nine years were hidden in a boyish face. In many ways, he reminded Eponine of his father when she had first met him.
"This, Mama? Just the book Enjolras gave me when he was here last."
"And you enjoy this? It might be a book he assigns his students to read."
"Well, I am going to be a student of his one day, aren't I?"
"So long as he doesn't build another barricade," Eponine murmured to herself while looking out the window. "Where's your sister gone?"
"Said she was going to pick flowers as a surprise for Papa."
"I guess the secret's out," smirked Eponine.
At that moment, a girl ran through the back door with a handful of flowers. When she saw her mother, she threw them behind her back as if they had never been seen.
"And where have you been today, Charlotte?"
"Nowhere," lied the child.
Eponine cleared her throat as Gustave laughed. "Papa's coming home tonight."
"Tonight? Should I leave and then come back later?"
"Papa!"
The two children ran to the door way as Eponine turned around. Marius was there with a suitcase at his feet. The two ran into his open arms, and Charlotte produced the flowers from behind her back.
"I picked these for you, Papa."
"I love them, sweetheart. Thank you." He planted a kiss on his daughter's forehead, then turned to his son. "Now, young man. Have you been helping your mother while I was gone?"
Gustave had a guilty look on his face and turned to look at his mother.
"He helped me very much."
"Good, or else he might not have received the gifts I brought him from his aunt and uncles."
"And me?" moped the little girl.
"Oh yes. For you as well. Let me talk to your mother first, and we'll see about those things after dinner."
"Charlotte, why don't you fetch some water to put Papa's flowers in? Gustave, you can take your father's bag into our room." The children disappeared and Marius kissed his wife.
"Are you alright?"
"Marius, I'm fine."
"You shouldn't be doing too much. I didn't want to leave you at all. You're seven months along."
"I've done it twice before. There's nothing I can't do. Did you win your case?"
"Naturally. Actually, Grantaire and Enjolras managed to seal my closing argument. All those past years of speech writing finally paid off."
"How is everybody?"
"Couldn't be better. I told Gavroche we'd come up next week, but I didn't see much of him this time."
"You know your son thinks that Enjolras is going to teach him at the university," said Eponine, picking up the book that Gustave had dropped.
"Well?"
"That's in nine years!"
"Enjolras will live forever. Maybe he'll teach the new baby."
"Providing it's a boy."
"Did you think of any names?"
"Yes, actually," she said, sitting down next to her husband. "Tell me what you think. If it's a boy, Anton or Nicolas."
"Well, I'd much prefer Nicolas. Nicolas Pontmercy sounds quite nice."
"That's what I said about 'Guy', but you had to have your son named Gustave."
"I always liked that name. And if it's a girl?"
"Juliette or Adelaide."
"If it's a girl, you can name it whatever you want, but I'm sticking with Nicolas until the very end."
The two children reappeared hand in hand.
"Mama, can I feel the baby?"
"Of course you can, dear. Come here and you can listen to it as well."
The girl went to her mother and pressed her ear against her stomach. The child jumped back.
"What's the matter?" asked Marius.
"It kicked me."
"You did that when you were in Mama's belly. I remember," said Gustave.
"And I remember when Gustave was in Mama's belly."
Eponine was about to say she remember when Gavroche was in her mother's belly, but she refrained. She had never spoken of her parents to Gustave or Charlotte, and she planned on keeping it that way.
"Papa, what did you bring us from Paris?" asked Charlotte, all interest in the baby lost.
"Well, let me get my suitcase unpacked and then I'll show you."
************************************************************************
"Eponine! Oh my God, is that them? They're precious!" Azelma ran into the house to where her sister sat next to the cradle. Two beautiful babies lie asleep, one in blue, the other in pink.
"Leave your husband and daughter, won't you? Hello, Eponine," said Grantaire bring Emilie inside and going to kiss his sister-in-law.
"I know that voice."
"And I know that one," replied Grantaire drawing Marius in a hug.
"Marius! Marius!"
"Emilie! I've missed you! Have you been good like I told you?"
"Of course," she said raising her arms, wanting to be held. Marius grinned and picked up his niece.
"Has she?"
"Of course. My daughter doesn't lie. She's more like Azelma than she is like me."
"Thank God for that," sighed Azelma, taking her hat and coat off.
"When's Gavroche and Enjolras coming?"
"As soon as they both get out of university. We were about halfway here when classes got out, so give him another hour or so."
"Emilie, your cousins are in the back room waiting for you," said Eponine. "Do you want to see the babies before you go?"
"There's more than one?" Marius carried her over to the cradle. "They're all red."
"They won't be soon."
"That's good. I'll go see Charlotte and Gustave now." Marius let her down and she hurried into the back room. Grantaire took a seat next to the cradle as Marius went behind his wife.
"Did you name them?" asked Grantaire.
"Yes, but we'll wait until the other two get here."
"We're here. Tell us what?" Gavroche, no more the small, pre-teenage boy, but a matured adult entered the house closely followed by Enjolras.
"Always did have impeccable timing," smiled Marius.
"Which is my niece and which is my nephew?"
"Didn't the color clothing give that away?" asked Azelma poking her brother.
"I was just checking."
"Well, how did you both get out so early?" asked Grantaire.
"You all neglected to remember that it is Saturday. There aren't classes on Saturday," scowled Enjolras mockingly. "I didn't know that we weren't wanted."
"So, tell us their names!" said Azelma.
"Yes, since you proceeded to make it some big mystery," commented her husband. Marius took his son in his arms.
"This is Nicolas Pontmercy."
"That was no big surprise, Marius," joked Gavroche. "You've been saying that for the past three months!" Eponine picked up Nicolas' sister.
"This is Juliette."
"What?" Marius wore a look of pure stock. "You said that you were naming her Jacqueline for sure last night!"
"I had to surprise everyone, Marius, even you. I knew that you were going to stick with Nicolas, so I thought I might as well make it fun and bend the truth a little bit."
"You've done things like this for years."
"I don't see you complaining, though."
"Can I hold Nicolas?"
"You? The confirmed bachelor holding a child?"
"Just because I don't intend on getting married doesn't mean that I hate children. I mean, I spent all these years with Grantaire," stated Enjolras.
"I resent being called a child. I'll have you know that Emilie is twice the child I was."
"Well, it takes one to know one."
"Gavroche! You've got to be on my side for this! You're getting married soon, tell him off for me!"
"I'm still living with him for now. I can't compromise my living arrangements until an hour before the wedding."
Grantaire sulked for the next hour while the children were shown to everyone. Enjolras had taken a liking to Nicolas and had been holding him for a while.
"Do you want me to take him, Enjolras?"
"No, 'Ponine. I have a feeling this boy and I are going to get along nicely. I can see it in his face. He's a born leader."
"He isn't going to try and overthrow the government, is he?"
"You never know, 'Ponine."
"If he does, I blame you and only you. And if Gustave overthrows anything, I swear..."
"Calm down, 'Ponine," laughed Marius.
Azelma, who realized that her husband felt neglected, went over to Grantaire and sat on his lap. Enjolras finally yielded, and put the sleeping baby beside his sister. Eponine put her head on Marius' shoulder and looked at the group in front of her.
"I can't believe we changed so much."
"Don't bring that up again," groaned Grantaire. "Because then we're all going into a discussion about how any drunk can fall in love and become a good husband and father as long as Grantaire can do it."
"Or how any street urchin can give up his ways, become a student, and fall in love. That counts for all three of us, only you two can substitute becoming a barmaid for student."
"Ah, what changes can one say about me?" Everybody chuckled as Enjolras started his monologue. "Well, one born into privilege, such as myself, has many opinions open. However, one may choose not to take these opinions and go his own way. Coincidently, I did just that. Became a student, started a rebellion, and made some friends in the process. Now, I know that you're thinking once a man takes charge of a revolution, there's no way that anything else could happen in his life. Well, you all are sadly mistaken. For I did change my ways after I saw the last of the barricades. So, I became a humble teacher and devoted friend. And that's how I was changed."
"I think the barricades changed all of us."
"No one knows that more than you do, Marius. Your story is at least the most entertaining."
"My story is our story, my love, because we ended up together, just as I planned."
"Oh, so it was now planned."
"Naturally."
"I sometimes wonder what I married."
"I second that!"
"Grantaire!" Azelma hit her husband.
"I was talking about Marius. Dear God."
"Gavroche, do you see what you will be getting into? Stay with me! Keep your sanity! My God, boy, look at what your bound to become."
"If I may quote you?"
"Quote me?"
"Yes, Enjolras. From one of your most recent lectures. 'Love knows no boundaries, men. You can't fight it, so you might as well go with it.'"
"You overlooked the last part of that statement. 'But if you can stay away from it altogether, that's even better.'"
"Well, I omitted it to make my point."
"I can't believe this," sighed Enjolras, looking around the room. The five others laughed, and he soon joined them.
Eponine stood in the back doorway of the home she and Marius had built together. She looked around the meadow that decorated their backyard. The springtime had left green grass, colorful flowers, and blue, cloudless skies. Eponine turned back into the house and took her apron off. She looked down at her stomach and rubbed it.
The clock in the hallway chimed half past five. Marius would be home today. He had journeyed into Paris for a case a few days ago and was coming back this evening. He had said he would be staying with Enjolras and Gavroche while visiting Grantaire, Azelma, and Emilie. Emilie was Eponine's five-year-old niece who she saw once a month when the six friends gathered at the Pontmercy residence.
Over the past ten years, Eponine had noticed her sister and brother seemed to grow up more and more each time she saw them. The passage of time and distance between the siblings made them seem older and older as the years went by. Time had also changed Grantaire. He gave up his drinking habits, except perhaps a casual drink in the afternoon or a glass of wine with dinner. Enjolras had sworn himself a confirmed bachelor, and had stuck to it. He had obtained a position at the university teaching political sciences, and he loved it. His students never complained and walked out of the room more than enlightened. Gavroche, once a confirmed bachelor like his roommate, had given in and fallen in love with a girl named Laetitia Merle. Her father was the owner of a textile factory in Paris. Marius and Eponine were going to visit him and the girl's family in a few weeks and perhaps even consent to their marriage.
Eponine walked into the sitting room where a child sat in a chair with a book.
"Gustave, what are you reading?"
The boy looked up at his mother. His nine years were hidden in a boyish face. In many ways, he reminded Eponine of his father when she had first met him.
"This, Mama? Just the book Enjolras gave me when he was here last."
"And you enjoy this? It might be a book he assigns his students to read."
"Well, I am going to be a student of his one day, aren't I?"
"So long as he doesn't build another barricade," Eponine murmured to herself while looking out the window. "Where's your sister gone?"
"Said she was going to pick flowers as a surprise for Papa."
"I guess the secret's out," smirked Eponine.
At that moment, a girl ran through the back door with a handful of flowers. When she saw her mother, she threw them behind her back as if they had never been seen.
"And where have you been today, Charlotte?"
"Nowhere," lied the child.
Eponine cleared her throat as Gustave laughed. "Papa's coming home tonight."
"Tonight? Should I leave and then come back later?"
"Papa!"
The two children ran to the door way as Eponine turned around. Marius was there with a suitcase at his feet. The two ran into his open arms, and Charlotte produced the flowers from behind her back.
"I picked these for you, Papa."
"I love them, sweetheart. Thank you." He planted a kiss on his daughter's forehead, then turned to his son. "Now, young man. Have you been helping your mother while I was gone?"
Gustave had a guilty look on his face and turned to look at his mother.
"He helped me very much."
"Good, or else he might not have received the gifts I brought him from his aunt and uncles."
"And me?" moped the little girl.
"Oh yes. For you as well. Let me talk to your mother first, and we'll see about those things after dinner."
"Charlotte, why don't you fetch some water to put Papa's flowers in? Gustave, you can take your father's bag into our room." The children disappeared and Marius kissed his wife.
"Are you alright?"
"Marius, I'm fine."
"You shouldn't be doing too much. I didn't want to leave you at all. You're seven months along."
"I've done it twice before. There's nothing I can't do. Did you win your case?"
"Naturally. Actually, Grantaire and Enjolras managed to seal my closing argument. All those past years of speech writing finally paid off."
"How is everybody?"
"Couldn't be better. I told Gavroche we'd come up next week, but I didn't see much of him this time."
"You know your son thinks that Enjolras is going to teach him at the university," said Eponine, picking up the book that Gustave had dropped.
"Well?"
"That's in nine years!"
"Enjolras will live forever. Maybe he'll teach the new baby."
"Providing it's a boy."
"Did you think of any names?"
"Yes, actually," she said, sitting down next to her husband. "Tell me what you think. If it's a boy, Anton or Nicolas."
"Well, I'd much prefer Nicolas. Nicolas Pontmercy sounds quite nice."
"That's what I said about 'Guy', but you had to have your son named Gustave."
"I always liked that name. And if it's a girl?"
"Juliette or Adelaide."
"If it's a girl, you can name it whatever you want, but I'm sticking with Nicolas until the very end."
The two children reappeared hand in hand.
"Mama, can I feel the baby?"
"Of course you can, dear. Come here and you can listen to it as well."
The girl went to her mother and pressed her ear against her stomach. The child jumped back.
"What's the matter?" asked Marius.
"It kicked me."
"You did that when you were in Mama's belly. I remember," said Gustave.
"And I remember when Gustave was in Mama's belly."
Eponine was about to say she remember when Gavroche was in her mother's belly, but she refrained. She had never spoken of her parents to Gustave or Charlotte, and she planned on keeping it that way.
"Papa, what did you bring us from Paris?" asked Charlotte, all interest in the baby lost.
"Well, let me get my suitcase unpacked and then I'll show you."
************************************************************************
"Eponine! Oh my God, is that them? They're precious!" Azelma ran into the house to where her sister sat next to the cradle. Two beautiful babies lie asleep, one in blue, the other in pink.
"Leave your husband and daughter, won't you? Hello, Eponine," said Grantaire bring Emilie inside and going to kiss his sister-in-law.
"I know that voice."
"And I know that one," replied Grantaire drawing Marius in a hug.
"Marius! Marius!"
"Emilie! I've missed you! Have you been good like I told you?"
"Of course," she said raising her arms, wanting to be held. Marius grinned and picked up his niece.
"Has she?"
"Of course. My daughter doesn't lie. She's more like Azelma than she is like me."
"Thank God for that," sighed Azelma, taking her hat and coat off.
"When's Gavroche and Enjolras coming?"
"As soon as they both get out of university. We were about halfway here when classes got out, so give him another hour or so."
"Emilie, your cousins are in the back room waiting for you," said Eponine. "Do you want to see the babies before you go?"
"There's more than one?" Marius carried her over to the cradle. "They're all red."
"They won't be soon."
"That's good. I'll go see Charlotte and Gustave now." Marius let her down and she hurried into the back room. Grantaire took a seat next to the cradle as Marius went behind his wife.
"Did you name them?" asked Grantaire.
"Yes, but we'll wait until the other two get here."
"We're here. Tell us what?" Gavroche, no more the small, pre-teenage boy, but a matured adult entered the house closely followed by Enjolras.
"Always did have impeccable timing," smiled Marius.
"Which is my niece and which is my nephew?"
"Didn't the color clothing give that away?" asked Azelma poking her brother.
"I was just checking."
"Well, how did you both get out so early?" asked Grantaire.
"You all neglected to remember that it is Saturday. There aren't classes on Saturday," scowled Enjolras mockingly. "I didn't know that we weren't wanted."
"So, tell us their names!" said Azelma.
"Yes, since you proceeded to make it some big mystery," commented her husband. Marius took his son in his arms.
"This is Nicolas Pontmercy."
"That was no big surprise, Marius," joked Gavroche. "You've been saying that for the past three months!" Eponine picked up Nicolas' sister.
"This is Juliette."
"What?" Marius wore a look of pure stock. "You said that you were naming her Jacqueline for sure last night!"
"I had to surprise everyone, Marius, even you. I knew that you were going to stick with Nicolas, so I thought I might as well make it fun and bend the truth a little bit."
"You've done things like this for years."
"I don't see you complaining, though."
"Can I hold Nicolas?"
"You? The confirmed bachelor holding a child?"
"Just because I don't intend on getting married doesn't mean that I hate children. I mean, I spent all these years with Grantaire," stated Enjolras.
"I resent being called a child. I'll have you know that Emilie is twice the child I was."
"Well, it takes one to know one."
"Gavroche! You've got to be on my side for this! You're getting married soon, tell him off for me!"
"I'm still living with him for now. I can't compromise my living arrangements until an hour before the wedding."
Grantaire sulked for the next hour while the children were shown to everyone. Enjolras had taken a liking to Nicolas and had been holding him for a while.
"Do you want me to take him, Enjolras?"
"No, 'Ponine. I have a feeling this boy and I are going to get along nicely. I can see it in his face. He's a born leader."
"He isn't going to try and overthrow the government, is he?"
"You never know, 'Ponine."
"If he does, I blame you and only you. And if Gustave overthrows anything, I swear..."
"Calm down, 'Ponine," laughed Marius.
Azelma, who realized that her husband felt neglected, went over to Grantaire and sat on his lap. Enjolras finally yielded, and put the sleeping baby beside his sister. Eponine put her head on Marius' shoulder and looked at the group in front of her.
"I can't believe we changed so much."
"Don't bring that up again," groaned Grantaire. "Because then we're all going into a discussion about how any drunk can fall in love and become a good husband and father as long as Grantaire can do it."
"Or how any street urchin can give up his ways, become a student, and fall in love. That counts for all three of us, only you two can substitute becoming a barmaid for student."
"Ah, what changes can one say about me?" Everybody chuckled as Enjolras started his monologue. "Well, one born into privilege, such as myself, has many opinions open. However, one may choose not to take these opinions and go his own way. Coincidently, I did just that. Became a student, started a rebellion, and made some friends in the process. Now, I know that you're thinking once a man takes charge of a revolution, there's no way that anything else could happen in his life. Well, you all are sadly mistaken. For I did change my ways after I saw the last of the barricades. So, I became a humble teacher and devoted friend. And that's how I was changed."
"I think the barricades changed all of us."
"No one knows that more than you do, Marius. Your story is at least the most entertaining."
"My story is our story, my love, because we ended up together, just as I planned."
"Oh, so it was now planned."
"Naturally."
"I sometimes wonder what I married."
"I second that!"
"Grantaire!" Azelma hit her husband.
"I was talking about Marius. Dear God."
"Gavroche, do you see what you will be getting into? Stay with me! Keep your sanity! My God, boy, look at what your bound to become."
"If I may quote you?"
"Quote me?"
"Yes, Enjolras. From one of your most recent lectures. 'Love knows no boundaries, men. You can't fight it, so you might as well go with it.'"
"You overlooked the last part of that statement. 'But if you can stay away from it altogether, that's even better.'"
"Well, I omitted it to make my point."
"I can't believe this," sighed Enjolras, looking around the room. The five others laughed, and he soon joined them.